The Library of the Future

How the heart of the campus is transforming

Academic libraries occupy a central position on campus, literally and figuratively. For scholars and students, they serve as an essential gateway to knowledge. For publishers, they have been both a partner and a shaper of debates over copyright, censorship, and free and open access to information. For the campus and community, they are a place to connect.

Recent years have seen enormous upheaval for libraries and librarians, and the ways they’ve adapted to such changes point to larger lessons about how colleges and universities can transform, too.

Purchase this report to learn:

• How libraries, as one of the largest facilities on campus, have become vibrant hubs for diverse purposes while retaining flexibility for future needs.
• How librarians have been steering discussions about open-source journals and courseware, which has profound implications for student access and success, and institutional budgets.
• Why libraries are leveraging special collections to carve out niches for their institutions and bolster connections with students and the local community.
• What librarians are saying about how varied their jobs have become, and how the profession is – and isn’t – diversifying.
• How librarians have adapted to automation to learn new technical, legal, and interpersonal skills.

Date: February 2022
Pages: 54