ABSTRACT
This article traces the organizational shifts that have occurred in academic libraries with respect to the function of circulation. Up until WWII, the circulation department played a highly visible, central role in the mission of the academic library. The responsibilities assigned to the department were broad and included a variety of reader advisory services. Following WWII, the role of the department narrowed, and the work became mechanical and routine. The major forces affecting this change were the influence of scientific management, increasing specialization of labor, and the growing emphasis on unit efficiency. Since 1980, however, the function of the circulation department has begun to broaden once again. In many cases, new responsibilities have been added including interlibrary loan and document delivery. With the growth in the availability and cost of information and the decline in purchasing power, libraries have focused more intensely on broader goals and organizational effectiveness. Access services represents a renewed commitment to patron satisfaction and a willingness to experiment with different organizational structures to meet that primary goal.
