The role of the library in higher education and the implications for the external mode of study: An Australian perspective

The role of the library is necessarily dependent upon the educational objectives of the institution. Frequently, these are unstated or inadequate. Reference is made to some definitions of objectives for higher education, and the consequences for libraries are discussed. The view is urged that libraries, and therefore librarians, should be treated as integral and active parts of the educational process, and the latter be involved in course planning and development.The role identified for libraries in traditional higher education has not been transferred to the thinking about the external mode of study. The problems of providing any library service to external students in a country as vast and sparsely peopled as Australia are enormous. To extend services and opportunities equivalent to those available on campus may be impossible, but great effort should be made. Otherwise it may be impossible to match the educational experiences of external and internal students, in which case the equivalence of their qualifications is in serious question.