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Author: Saskia Hoving

Editor-in-Chief

Five years ago, as libraries adapted to the disruption of the pandemic, the focus was on maintaining access to information, supporting remote learning and accelerating digital transformation. The conversation has evolved and today, academic libraries are navigating a new set of strategic priorities: strengthening cybersecurity, managing growing volumes of research data, demonstrating institutional value, and working more closely with research offices, IT teams and university leadership.

This blog is the first in a series where we explore how these priorities are reshaping the role of the library, and how librarians are positioning themselves at the centre of trust, data and research support.

Drawing on insights from library leaders and experts including Lauren Dodd, Director of Collection Management, Discovery and Strategic Communication at Bryn Mawr College; Amy Lewontin, Collection Development Librarian at Northeastern University; Hilde van Wijngaarden, Director of University Library Services at Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam; John Sandstrom, Head of Acquisitions at New Mexico State University; and Lisa Redlinski, UK-based Information Strategy Consultant, this blog explores four of the most significant shifts shaping academic libraries today: cybersecurity, data management, demonstrating value and collaboration across institutional teams.

“The tools change, but the mission does not. The core purpose of libraries remains constant: supporting, teaching, and guiding our users on how to conduct research and evaluate information in an ever-changing research landscape.”- Lauren Dodd, Director, Collection Management, Discovery and Strategic Communication at Bryn Mawr College

Cybersecurity as a strategic priority

Academic libraries have always balanced access with stewardship. Now, that responsibility extends beyond collections to repositories, research data, cloud services and digital infrastructure. As a result, cybersecurity is becoming a key strategic concern.

What began as a focus on seamless access to information now also requires an equal commitment to protecting it. High-profile cyberattacks across the sector have highlighted the vulnerability of research infrastructure and reinforced the need for investment in security and resilience. This shift is raising new questions for library leaders. How open should repositories be? How can institutions balance access with protection? And how should responsibility be shared between libraries, IT teams and research offices?

AI is adding another layer of complexity. Libraries increasingly find themselves evaluating issues such as data privacy, intellectual property and trust alongside the quality of information itself. As Hilde van Wijngaarden explains: "It's a symptom of a broader question, about trust and information. The reason AI is such a big thing for us is it's making all those questions about trust come up faster and more heavily." In response, libraries are strengthening their role as trusted guides, helping researchers evaluate information, understand emerging technologies and navigate an increasingly complex information landscape.

From usage metrics to institutional impact

For decades, libraries have relied on metrics such as downloads, circulation figures, usage reports and cost-per-use analysis to demonstrate value and justify investment. While these measures remain important, expectations of what libraries contribute to institutional success have expanded significantly. New discovery pathways, including AI-powered tools, are making this challenge even more complex. Researchers can increasingly access answers without interacting directly with library platforms, even when those answers are derived from library-funded content. Traditional measures therefore tell only part of the story.

The focus is shifting from measuring activity towards demonstrating impact. Libraries are increasingly being asked to show how they contribute to institutional priorities such as research excellence, student success, research visibility and institutional reputation. As Amy Lewontin notes, evaluating resources today involves far more than content alone. Questions about functionality, usability, integration and long-term value are becoming increasingly important. Demonstrating value is therefore becoming a strategic capability, one that connects library services with broader institutional goals and outcomes.

Managing research data as a strategic asset

The role of libraries has expanded from supporting the publication process to guiding researchers throughout the research lifecycle, including the management, preservation and sharing of the data at the heart of modern scholarship. Research data has become a strategic institutional asset. As funder requirements evolve and data volumes continue to grow, institutions are paying much closer attention to how research outputs are managed, shared and preserved. This shift is driving demand for new expertise. Libraries are supporting researchers with data management planning, repository services, funder compliance and FAIR data practices.

At the same time, AI is creating new tensions between openness and protection. Libraries have long championed access to research, but institutions are increasingly asking how openly content should be shared when it can also be harvested and reused by AI systems. As Lauren Dodd observes, libraries are helping to navigate a difficult balance between making scholarship widely accessible and ensuring it is used responsibly.

From support function to strategic partner

Perhaps the most significant change is the evolving position of the library within the institution. Challenges such as cybersecurity, research data management, AI governance and digital infrastructure require expertise from multiple teams. As a result, libraries are working more closely than ever with IT departments, research offices and senior leadership teams. These partnerships are expanding the library's influence across institutional decision-making. Libraries are increasingly contributing to conversations about technology, governance and research strategy.

New skills are emerging to support this evolution, including expertise in research data management, AI literacy, text and data mining, visualisation and research analytics. As Lisa Redlinski notes: "People need support through periods of change." As institutions navigate technological and organisational change, libraries are contributing not only expertise but also leadership, helping shape priorities and guide decision-making.

The next chapter for academic libraries

What emerges from these conversations is a profession that continues to evolve and expand its contribution to higher education. Libraries are strengthening their roles in cybersecurity, research data management, impact measurement and institutional strategy, while remaining grounded in their core mission of supporting research, teaching and learning.

As Lauren Dodd observes, "The conversations change, but our underlying mission doesn't." While the priorities, technologies and challenges facing institutions continue to evolve, libraries remain focused on supporting research, teaching and learning.

At the same time, the way they deliver on that mission is changing. John Sandstrom believes this evolution reflects the growing breadth of the library's role: "The library's role is becoming more complex, more educational and more strategic, requiring librarians to act as educators and trusted guides in an increasingly complex research environment."

To continue the conversation, explore how librarians are responding to the opportunities and challenges of AI, and how libraries and publishers are working together to shape AI-powered research support.

Related content

• Emerging librarian roles in supporting ethical and rigorous scholarship
• Exploring AI futures in libraries with the Futurescape Workshop community
• CINCEL libraries explore the opportunities and risks of AI in research support
• Evolving roles of academic librarians adapting to change and new technologies

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