The diffuse library revisited: Aligning the library as strategic asset

Purpose: This paper sets out to explore the shifts in roles evident in the research library community, with illustrative case studies from the University of Minnesota Libraries. Design/methodology/approach: The approach takes the form of a review of environmental forces that are fueling changes in research methodologies and scholar behavior. Changes in research library roles are explored in the context of three case studies, highlighting new forms of engagement with the scholar community. Findings: Three University of Minnesota Libraries' initiatives illustrate: the use of behavioral data to design a customized discovery environment for scholarship, new organizational constructs to engage the community in issues related to control of scholarship, and strategies to develop a virtual community in the field of bioethics. Originality/value: The paper presents the original perspective of a University Librarian of a large research library and draws on earlier analyses of research behaviors, technology, and research library roles.