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Welcome to the January 2009 issue of 
C&RL News. Space, the final frontier. While 
academic librarians may not be exploring 
strange new worlds, discovering the best 
uses of physical and virtual space is crucial 
to providing excellent services. In this issue, 
Harry Glazer reflects on whether Rutgers 
University’s adventures in the virtual space 
of Facebook are a “Clever outreach or costly 
diversion?” 

Adapting physical spaces to reflect user 
needs and behavior can bring the sense 
of community found in online spaces like 
Facebook back into the library. In her ar­
ticle “Dissecting the disconnect,” Amanda 
Wakaruk examines library planning through 
the lens of design and spatial theory. 

Many libraries involve students in the 
planning process in order to match spaces 
to their real world uses. Michelle Twait took 
student input out of the world of focus 
groups and surveys and into the classroom. 

Read about her library design course in “If 
they build it, they will come.” 

To help you plan your visit to the ACRL 
14th National Conference in Seattle, a com­
plete preliminary program is included in this 
issue. The program is provided as a special 
pull­out section for ease of use. Visit the 
conference Web site at www.acrl.org/seattle 
for complete details. 

The new year means a new election cycle 
for ACRL. Take a look at the slate of candi­
dates for ACRL offices included in this issue 
and vote in the upcoming ALA elections. 

Make sure to take a look at all of the other 
great articles and columns this month, includ­
ing an excellent Internet Resources article on 
the history of photography by Ellen Bahr, the 
latest installment of Job of a Lifetime, and the 
index to volume 69 (2008). 

Thanks for reading the News! 
—David Free, editor-in-chief 

dfree@ala.org 

January 2009 5 C&RL News

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