The Strategic Positioning of Academic Libraries: Global Challenges, Local Politics and Strategy Development

by John Cox

Overview

The Strategic Positioning of Academic Libraries explores academic library trends in higher education and the wider world. By providing a deep understanding of academic library strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats, it will form an essential foundation for effective library strategy formulation and positioning. It examines a highly complex mix of global volatility, campus uncertainty, societal change, evolving perspectives, new pressures, and opportunities for academic libraries. A complete guide to improving the situation of academic libraries and how to advance their positioning in institutions, its chapters cover

• the changing higher education environment;

• opportunities and threats for academic libraries;

• academic library strengths and their implication; and

• positioning strategies for successful academic libraries.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781783306909
Publisher:	American Library Association
Publication date:	10/06/2025
Pages:	208
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 9.00(h) x 0.50(d)

About the Author

John Cox is University Librarian at the University of Galway in Ireland, a post he has held since 2009. He has 30 years of experience at leadership level, dating back to 1993 when he became Head of the Information Service at the Wellcome Centre for Medical Science, based at the Wellcome Trust. Projects led include planning for a new library building at the University of Galway, digitization of the Abbey and Gate Theatre archives, and Irish consortium negotiations with publishers.

Table of Contents

Introduction

Part I - Positioning Context

Chapter 1 - The Historical Evolution of Academic Library Position and Positioning

Chapter 2 - Positioning Strategy

Chapter 3 - The Global Context: Politics, Economics, Society and Technology

Chapter 4 - The Changing Higher Education Environment

Part II - SWOT Analysis

Chapter 5 - Strengths of Academic Libraries

Chapter 6 - Weaknesses of Academic Libraries

Chapter 7 - Opportunities for Academic Libraries

Chapter 8 - Threats to Academic Libraries

Part III - Position and Positioning Strategies

Chapter 9 - The Position of Academic Libraries Today: Making Sense of Complexity

Chapter 10 - Positioning Strategies for Successful Academic Libraries

Chapter 11 - Academic Library Positioning Toolkit

Conclusion

References

Index