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Associate provost cited in Chronicle article
January 18, 2008
PLU is among more than three dozen liberal arts colleges that have chosen to merge their library and technology departments.
That’s according to a Jan. 18 article in the Chronicle of Higher Education. It cited PLU’s associate provost for information and technology, Chris Ferguson, as a source.
The article noted that blending the two organizations at large research institutions is difficult because the structures are more complex and rely more on specialists. Ferguson agreed, saying that mergers work best at small colleges.
The university merged its departments in 1996 to form Information and Technology Services, and has experienced unexpected benefits, Ferguson said. The PLU librarians’ culture of helping clients has seeped into the culture of the technology staff. Meanwhile, the technology staffs’ ability to keep current with technology trends has influenced the librarians.
The article noted that blending the two organizations at large research institutions is difficult because the structures are more complex and rely more on specialists. Ferguson agreed, saying that mergers work best at small colleges.
The university merged its departments in 1996 to form Information and Technology Services, and has experienced unexpected benefits, Ferguson said. The PLU librarians’ culture of helping clients has seeped into the culture of the technology staff. Meanwhile, the technology staffs’ ability to keep current with technology trends has influenced the librarians.