Today, we are publishing our findings from the latest cycle of the US Library Survey, fielded from October to December 2022.

This report is designed to provide library and other higher education leaders with a high-level look at how library deans and directors conceptualize the role, strategic alignment, and value proposition of academic libraries on campuses. In this sixth iteration of the project, we continue to explore library strategy, budgets, and staffing. We also introduced new batteries of questions related to broader trends in higher education, including remote and hybrid learning, talent retention, and research data management, and expanded our coverage of open access and diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility (DEIA).

This cycle of the survey also marks the return to the triennial schedule we began in 2010, after fielding a special cycle of the survey in 2020 as a response to the extraordinary times. By October 2022, the extraordinary became ordinary, and our latest report offers insights into how library leaders are navigating the new normal. Our key findings, presented in the full report of findings, include the following takeaways:

  • Priorities continue to shift from collections to services.
  • For roughly half of respondents, convincing campus leaders of the library’s value proposition remains a challenge.
  • Student academic success remains a top priority across institution types.
  • Information literacy may not have kept up with today’s needs.
  • Many library deans and directors are grappling with talent management and recruitment.
  • Confidence in library and institutional DEIA initiatives is waning.
  • Deans and directors see an increasingly open future—one they believe will result in an increase in costs for their institution.

We look forward to continuing to track these trends over time. In the meantime, we look forward to hearing your thoughts on the findings of this latest cycle of our study.