College & Research Libraries News

The widespread use of generative artificial intelligence (AI) applications has reshaped how people interact with and interpret information. Within higher education, these technologies are already influencing core academic practices, from research and writing to teaching and learning, raising important questions about authenticity, critical thinking, and responsible use. Although we have witnessed…

On February 13, 2026, the California State University, Long Beach University Library hosted a press conference announcing a federal $2.175 million community project funding sponsored by Congressman Robert Garcia. Garcia visited the library to formally present the funding, which will support the modernization, digitization, and expansion of the library’s Special Collections area. He noted that the…

People in the News listing is provided free of charge and is a great way to feature new appointments and personnel updates. Have yours featured in a future issue of C&RL News by emailing Editor-in-Chief David Free at dfree@ala.org

Academic libraries increasingly serve diverse student populations with varying needs, backgrounds, and learning preferences. The William H. Hannon Library (WHHL) at Loyola Marymount University has committed itself to creating “a library where inclusivity is automatic,”1 embedding diversity, equity, inclusivity, and anti-racism (DEIA) principles in collections, spaces, operations, and throughout a…

ACRL is pleased to recognize the recipients of its 2026 awards. The annual presentation of ACRL’s awards enables ACRL to honor the very best in academic and research librarianship

Academic Library Workers in Conversation is a C&RL News series focused on elevating the everyday conversations of library professionals. The wisdom of the watercooler has long been heralded, but this series hopes to go further by minimizing barriers to traditional publishing with an accessible format. In past issues, the topics were proposed by the authors. However, during 2026, this feature will…

Since the COVID-19 pandemic, higher education has been grappling with the “Great Resignation” as employees leave jobs at higher rates than the industry has seen in years.1 Although turnover rates seem to be slowing, they still exceed pre-pandemic levels, with 33% of employees indicating they would be looking for new jobs within the next year.2 Employees that do stay may suffer from the “Great Det…

Multiple barriers contribute to undergraduates’ lack of involvement in research, including self-doubt, misperceptions about research, and naivete about resources. Furthermore, when research is highlighted, the focus is often on polished final products and described in specialized language that can make such experiences feel even more unattainable to students. We created a podcast focused on the h…

Metadata is often treated as the invisible scaffolding of library systems—standardized, technical, and impersonal on its face. Yet beneath its structured fields lie traces of human labor, professional history, and the personal relationships that sustain our work as librarians. These dimensions don’t always surface in formal description, but for those of us who encounter metadata daily, even a sin…

Generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) is no longer a distant horizon for libraries— it is already reshaping how we teach, preserve, and connect communities with knowledge. The question is not whether AI belongs in libraries but rather how we integrate it in ways that are ethical, equitable, and aligned with our missions. This article is framed as a dialogue among colleagues at three differen…

The Library of Virginia has been approved as the newest member of the Association of Southeastern Research Libraries (ASERL), a significant opportunity that expands Virginia’s role in one of the nation’s most active regional research library consortia. The announcement follows a vote of ASERL’s membership at its fall 2025 meeting, where the organization welcomed the Library of Virginia into its g…

UNC-Chapel Hill University Libraries Launches AI Studio, PromptLab The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill’s University Libraries recently hosted a grand opening for the new Library AI Studio, a space designed to support exploration, learning and creative use of artificial intelligence (AI) tools for the Carolina community. The studio provides students, faculty, and staff with hands-on op…

AI Index. Access: https://hai.stanford.edu/ai-index. AI Index seeks to “provide unbiased, rigorously vetted, and globally sourced data for policymakers, researchers, journalists, executives, and the general public to develop a deeper understanding of the complex field of AI.” Based at Stanford University Institute for Human-Centered Artificial Intelligence (HAI), AI Index has a steering committee…

In today’s higher education landscape, the role of the library is being questioned more than ever. Artificial intelligence (AI) tools like ChatGPT, though powerful, can generate unreliable or fabricated research information, leading students to bypass vetted academic sources. Many learners now prefer fast, simplified answers over deep inquiry—a “fast-food” style of studying that undermines critic…

Making Assessment Matter is a five-part C&RL News series focused on maximizing the impact of academic library assessment. The first article introduces strategies for launching assessment projects designed for action and impact. The second examines how to equip librarians to use assessment results in practice, while the third identifies pathways for converting those results into action. This fourt…

ACRL’s Framework for Information Literacy for Higher Education (Framework) seeks to establish core principles and dispositions for critically engaging with information in its various forms. Following its introduction in 2000, the ACRL Information Literacy Competency Standards for Higher Education underwent multiple revisions to address the changing nature of information and the ever-expanding rol…

It was nearly lunchtime on Monday during the second week of classes for the fall semester. I was chatting with some colleagues when the University community text alert sounded. An active shooter in the library? Wait a minute... I thought the practice drill was scheduled for tomorrow morning. We all looked at each other. Was this real? We were in the library. We immediately began to

Academic Library Workers in Conversation is a C&RL News series focused on elevating the everyday conversations of library professionals. The wisdom of the watercooler has long been heralded, but this series hopes to go further by minimizing barriers to traditional publishing with an accessible format. In past issues, the topics were proposed by the authors. However, during 2026, this feature will…

In early 2025, Goldey-Beacom College Library hosted the Americans and the Holocaust traveling exhibition, a partnership between the American Library Association (ALA) and the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum.1 The exhibition offered a unique opportunity for students from ten Delaware public middle schools and one private middle school, as well as the college community and the general publi…

“Document everything, and I mean EVERYTHING!” is the advice constantly given to tenure-track faculty. Tenure-track faculty librarians are no exception to the mantra of documenting everything, including simple daily activities and major projects or programs. The tenure portfolio represents years of documented work and experience necessary to achieve tenure. The advice succinctly captures the goal …