Includes bibliographical references and index.

Chapter 1. Introduction -- Chapter 2. The academic library just before the World Wide Web -- Chapter 3. Digital dawn: Libraries experiment and adapt to new technology -- Chapter 4. The transition to the hybrid library -- Chapter 5. Early trends and transformation: ERMI, ERMS, and separate development -- Chapter 6. The Great Recession and its impact on academic libraries -- Chapter 7. Reimagining technical services -- Chapter 8. At the crossroads: Ongoing efforts to transform libraries and librarians -- Appendix A. Core competencies for electronic resources librarians -- Appendix B -- Appendix C.

The Role of the Electronic Resources Librarian focuses on longstanding hurdles to the transition of libraries from print collections, to online information services, all from an Electronic Resources Librarian (ERL) perspective. Problems covered include cost containment for electronic serials, web design, discovery, customer service, efficiency, and adapting organizations to the needs of contemporary users. The title considers the historical development of the ERL role, how the position emerged in North America in the 1990s, how it is represented within the organizational structure of academic libraries, and how the ERL role maps to technology, information services, and professional identity trends.