Greater Than the Sum of Its Parts

In recent years, many higher education institutions, from liberal arts colleges to major research universities, have integrated their information technology (IT) and library organizations. Still more institutions are actively exploring the possibility of doing so. Their reasons for combining the separate organizations range from positioning the institution for the challenges of a digital future to resolving a serious service crisis in one of the existing organizations. In addition, merging library and IT operations into a single service organization simply makes sense from both the user's and the administrator's perspective. The users of these services and resources are often unable to distinguish clearly between tool and content, and they are increasingly confused about whom to consult for help in accomplishing their work. Some merged organizations have addressed these problems by blending the operations of the IT help desk and the library reference desk, by collocating IT and library functions in a single campus location, by undertaking integrated visioning and planning, by fostering joint instructional programs for students and faculty, and/or by designing new professional positions that combine the expertise of librarians and technologists. (Contains 3 notes.)