Today, we launched the Library Deans and Directors Survey 2025. Established in 2010, this triennial survey provides foundational data to the field on the areas of established and emerging importance to academic library deans and directors. Continuing this tradition, the survey now in the field examines the strategic and leadership perspectives of library leaders and seeks to understand the evolution of opportunities and challenges they face in their work.

Academic libraries are navigating an exceptional time of change, which has made it especially challenging to pinpoint the most pressing areas for measurement in this cycle. We are fortunate to be guided by an outstanding advisory board whose expertise has been invaluable in adapting the survey to address the evolving environment for libraries and higher education. We are thankful for their time and insights:

  • Karim Boughida, Dean, University Libraries, Stony Brook University
  • Kimberly Bugg, CEO and Director, Atlanta University Center Woodruff Library
  • Valeda Dent, Vice Provost of Libraries and Museum, Emory University
  • Salwa Ismail, Associate University Librarian for Discovery and Access, Harvard Library
  • Clément Pieyre, Director, Bibliothèque Diderot de Lyon
  • Maurini Strub, Interim Vice Provost and Interim Andrew H. & Janet Dayton Neilly Dean, University of Rochester
  • Erich van Rijn, Executive Director, University of California Press
  • Charles Watkinson, Associate University Librarian for Publishing and Director, University of Michigan Press, University of Michigan Library
  • Doug Way, Dean, University Libraries, University of Kentucky

Based on their feedback, as well as reflections on the previous cycles’ findings, we are exploring the following thematic areas in the questionnaire:

Artificial Intelligence (AI)

  • To what extent do libraries provide services meant to prepare students, instructors, and researchers for literate and ethical usage of AI tools?
  • Are libraries incorporating AI functionality into their workflows?
  • How do library deans and directors view the role of AI in the library?

Funding and Budgets

  • How are libraries coming together to share resources and costs?
  • How do libraries adapt their services and strategy in response to budget cuts?
  • How has the current funding and budget position of libraries impacted staffing?

Organizational and Change Management

  • Do library deans and directors feel prepared to steer their organization through times of change?
  • How do library deans and directors view the role of the library in our current political and economic environment?
  • How can libraries best support staff at the present time?

Support for Research

  • How do libraries measure their impact on institutional research activity?
  • What variety of activities constitute research support as offered by libraries?
  • How does the library contribute to the research enterprise of the university?

Scholarly Communication

  • In what ways are libraries rethinking collections and acquisitions strategies in response to recent changes in the scholarly communication ecosystem?
  • How are libraries utilizing their collection budgets to support open access?
  • Which acquisitions models are working—or not—for libraries?

This study is part of a larger portfolio of research focused on capturing the perspectives of leaders within the cultural sector. These survey-based projects include established triennial studies, such as the US Faculty Survey and the Museum Director Survey, as well as newer surveys focused particularly on the needs and perspectives of archivists, instructors, and researchers. Together, these studies offer both longitudinal perspectives on trends and insights into common priorities and challenges across multiple professions and communities.

If you are a dean or director at a four-year college or university in the US and did not receive a survey, please let us know by emailing research-surveys@ithaka.orgs.

In advance of our publication of the survey findings next spring, we will hold a pre-release webinar for library leaders. All survey recipients will be invited to a webinar next spring in advance of our publication of the survey findings.