You Can’t Predict…But You Can Prepare

Help build a library that works for every researcher – even in times of uncertainty

Academic libraries are facing tough choices. They’re not only required to do more with less – less budget, time and resources – they’re also managing the constantly changing demands of faculty, students and researchers in a very uncertain environment. As the necessity for online resources soars in support of remote and hybrid learning, librarians are feeling the pressure.

Learn more about how libraries are adapting, and how ProQuest can help.

Here’s what we’ve learned from recent conversations with hundreds of libraries around the globe:

• • Budgets are shifting. Universities are shifting or cutting costs due to lost revenues, and even with an increase in demand, libraries need to make sure they’re using their budget money with the utmost efficiency.
  • Staff and administrative demands are incredibly demanding. Most academic libraries manage dozens of databases. In addition, staff are being challenged to serve new roles, administer unfamiliar tasks or programs and work with faculty and educators to diversify curriculum. When factoring in administration, training and support for off-campus faculty and students, that’s an astounding amount of work.
  • Teaching and learning expectations are high – and libraries are under pressure to support them. A recent IIE report observed that 87 percent of universities in the U.S. are offering a hybrid learning model for the fall term, and that trend is echoed around the world – yet faculty and students still expect to achieve high outcomes. Some of this burden falls to libraries, who must maintain continuity of access for both online and in-person users.

Libraries have been incredibly resilient – not to mention creative – in tackling these challenges in many ways. Here are just a few:

• • Identifying must-have vs. nice-to-have content. There’s more to usage than just hard numbers. Cost-per-use and return-on-investment will look different for different content types, so many libraries are setting their own benchmarks for each style of content (with help from their vendor partners).
  • Reducing the number of databases and platforms they administer. By consolidating resources, libraries can reduce administration and training time. With multi-format, multi-disciplinary resources that provide content across the curriculum, they can still offer a high level of support for users throughout the university.
  • Using ready-made marketing materials to promote existing resources. Faculty are sometimes not fully aware of everything the library provides – so now more than ever, libraries are working to promote their library’s existing resources. Many vendors have already created resources to help libraries raise awareness of their existing collections, and they're designed to be easy for libraries to use.

Whether they’re supporting patrons online or in person, ProQuest is helping libraries navigate today’s complex environment in these ways…and many others.