Richard T. Sweeney
University Librarian

New Jersey Institute of Technology
Robert Van Houten Library
323 Martin Luther King Blvd.
Newark, NJ 07102-1982 973-596-3208 (voice)
973-242-1641 (fax)
richard.sweeney@njit.edu

The University Librarian reports to the Provost,and is responsible for directing all the services and activities of the NJIT libraries (Robert W. Van Houten Library and Barbara & Leonard Littman Architecture Library).

Rich Sweeney joined NJIT as university librarian in 1995. For the previous 11 years, Rich directed the library at Polytechnic University, Brooklyn. Before that, he directed public libraries in Columbus, Ohio; Flint, Michigan; and Atlantic City, New Jersey.

Article: Millennial Behaviors and Demographics (includes Bibliography),

Two Page Summary Handout: Millennial Behaviors and Demographics

Millennial PowerPoint

Rich is researching the Millennials (born 1979 to 1994) and the impact that this large, quite different, generation will have upon libraries and academic institutions. He has conducted over fifty panels (focus groups) in front of live audiences in over twenty states and in New Brunswick, CA. Elsevier Symposium: Millennial Disconnects ALA January 2008 PowerPoint

Rich wrote an article in the Fall 2005 Library Administration & Management entitled: "Reinventing Library Buildings and Services for the Millennial Generation".

Rich's work was also the princpal subject of an article in the Chronicle of Higher Education, January 5, 2007 Section B10 entitled: "How the New Generation of Well-Wired Mutitaksers is Changing Campus Culture". This article was based upon a program that Rich conducted at the Chronicle's Technology Forum held in Las Vegas on November 15, 2006. Rich was interviewed at this conference in Las Vegas by a Dutch reporter and the audio, in English, can be found at "Bekijk het interview met Richard T. Sweeney". Rich's Millennal work was also the subject of a front page Chronicle article entitled "The Net Generation in the Classroom", October 7, 2005 (Volume LII, Number 7) Chronicle of Higher Education.

Rich is on the Executive Board of VALE, the Virtual Academic Library Environment of New Jersey . He is a past Snowbird Library Leadership Mentor.

He consults with and leads scenario planning for public and academic libraries preparing them for the significant paradigm shifts happening in libraries today. Rich is a frequent speaker and consultant on the library of the future, library services, digital libraries, library automation and multimedia applications, and library buildings. See page: The Future of the Academic Library

Rich is also currently working with Michael Bieber and others at NJIT on an NSF National Science Digital Library grant called IntegraL as well as an Institute for Museum and Libraries Systems (IMLS) grant called IntLib.

Rich is also pursuing a research project called the The Higher Education Competitive Advantage: Accelerated Learning Part of this research is learning how technology in higher education can be used to accelerate human learning while maintaining a comparable or even increased level of understanding.

Administration, Library Staff, Database Funding, Favorites, Reinventing the Library Through Technology

Research is More Than Google

Sweeney PowerPoint Presentation to the Chronicle Technology Forum: Strategies for Campus Leadership, November 13-15, 2006 Las Vegas, NV

Sweeney PowerPoint Presentation (Virtual Libraries Connecting Millennials in an Archived World) to the Spring Workshop PALA College and Research Division, June 8, 2007, Lehigh University, Bethlehem, PA

ALA 2006 LAMA Preconference Introduction PowerPoint

ALA 2006 LAMA Preconference Morning PowerPoint

ALA 2006 LAMA Preconference Afternoon PowerPoint

Elsevier Citation Tracker

SLA-NJ-PowerPoint

Proposed Cafe Area

American Dental Education Association: Engaging Millennial Students January 23, 2008 PowerPoint

St. Edwards University: Engaging Millennial Students February 27, 2008 PowerPoint