(via Amy Dye-Reeves, Texas Tech University)
ACRL is pleased to announce the launch of the new Academic Library Advocacy Toolkit. Developed by a joint task force comprised of members from ACRL’s New Roles and Changing Landscapes and Value of Academic Libraries goal-area committees, the Toolkit is a curated collection of resources that can help equip academic library administrators and library professionals with the resources they need to advocate for the value, roles, and contributions of academic libraries to their campus communities.
The Academic Library Advocacy Toolkit was created in response to current and concrete pressures many academic libraries are facing, including challenges related to budgets, a diminished workforce, professional roles, and more.
“ACRL’s Board of Directors is concerned by the continued marginalization of the contributions of academic libraries as colleges and universities examine themselves and make changes due to the impacts of the pandemic, ongoing fiscal challenges, and the long-promised demographic shift,” says ACRL President Erin L. Ellis. “We wanted to create a resource to support academic libraries and library workers in demonstrating their role as integral partners in fulfilling the academic mission of their institutions, and are grateful for the excellent work of the joint task force in developing this Toolkit.”
The Toolkit is designed around six primary topics:
- Student Success
- Faculty Support
- Employment Status
- Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion
- Affordability
- Strategic Goals
Each of these topics includes a variety of resources including ACRL reports, books, standards and statements, tools and toolkits, workshops and RoadShows, and more.
“I’m extremely proud of the collaborative work of the task force to create this Toolkit,” says Becky Croxton, Professor and Head of Strategic Analytics at UNC-Charlotte’s J. Murrey Atkins Library and chair of the joint task force. “Speaking on behalf of task force members, we hope that this Toolkit will empower not only academic library administrators but all library workers to demonstrate and communicate their value to stakeholders as they navigate change in their higher education environments.”
The Academic Library Advocacy Toolkit is a dynamic resource that will be updated as new publications and resources become available. Explore it for advocacy techniques, tips, and strategies, and if you have an academic library advocacy success story or suggestions for additional resources, please share via the Suggestions & Feedback Form.