Guerrillas in the mist: breaking through boundaries to provide a first-class remote library service

Based on a paper given at the UKSG seminar 'The radical library: taking up the challenge', London, 13 November 2003' The nature of distance learners and their varying needs requires an innovative and high-quality support service. Developments in teaching and learning provide an ideal opportunity for librarians to be proactive and change their roles and image within higher education (HE). The proliferation of electronic resources presents a 'double-edged sword' for distance learning students - offering increased access to information if they are able to use them effectively. All these factors have led to the development of a highly responsive library and information service, which is seen by academic staff as a key element of distance learning course provision at the University of Leicester.