2018 Top Trends in Academic Libraries

Every other year, the ACRL Research Planning and Review Committee produces a document on top trends in higher education as they relate to academic librarianship. Topics in this edition of ACRL Top Trends will be familiar to some readers who will hopefully learn of new materials to expand their knowledge. Other readers will be made aware of trends that are outside of their experience. This is the nature of trends in our current technological and educational environments: change is continual, but it affects different libraries at different rates. The 2018 top trends share several overarching themes, including the impact of market forces, technology, and the political environment on libraries

Environmental Scan 2019

Every two years, the ACRL Research Planning and Review Committee writes an Environmental Scan, a summary of the key themes in libraries and higher education. Many topics in this arena are in a state of perpetual change. This year’s scan focuses largely on developments from the last two years (2017 and 20018) in long standing themes primarily centered in the U.S. In some cases these build on last year’s Top Trends and there are a few instances of notable events that may indicate larger changes to come. The 2019 Environmental Scan will provide an overview for all librarians working in or with an interest in higher education. Since changes can unfold over years, those deeply interested in this landscape should also consult the RPRC documents for the last four years. The footnotes provide a solid starting point for taking a deeper dive into these topics

ACRL 2021 Environmental Scan

Every other year, the ACRL Research Planning and Review Committee provides a scan of higher education, detailing the current environment and its anticipated impact on libraries. While this year\u27s Environmental Scan is no different in terms of scope, we are now facing challenges to higher education on a scale not seen in decades. Across the globe, the COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted the lives and livelihoods of millions of people, and in the United States, this disruption has been compounded by the eruption of protests surrounding civil rights and other social justice issues. While the 2021 Environmental Scan covers developments over the last two years (2019 and 2020), the events of 2020 are anticipated to have lasting repercussions, and, while not the primary focus, are a common thread throughout the document

2020 Top Trends in Academic Libraries

This article summarizes trending topics in academic librarianship from the past two years. These highlights provide a starting point or an update, depending on one’s familiarity with the topic. Overarching themes across the profession continue to emphasize the significant amount of change our institutions are driving, managing, and navigating