Facing the Culture War on Campus: Highlights from ER&L 2024’s Closing Keynote on Emerging Threats to Academic Libraries
At the 2024 Electronic Resources & Libraries (ER&L) Conference, the EveryLibrary Institute brought together a closing keynote panel of national thought leaders to confront the growing threats to academic libraries and the broader culture of learning. Moderated by EveryLibrary’s Executive Director John Chrastka, the session, “Unpacking Emerging Threats to the Culture of Learning and Academic Libraries,” featured insights from Nancy Kirkpatrick (Florida International University), Roger Schonfeld (Ithaka S+R), and Kathleen McEvoy (EveryLibrary Institute).
The panel addressed a core reality: that the political, cultural, and policy attacks once limited to public and school libraries are now reaching into higher education. As Chrastka noted, these threats are not abstract, they are eroding academic freedom, challenging research integrity, and undermining the credibility of academic institutions from both internal and external sources.
From the state-level dismantling of DEIA offices to quiet resistance by library professionals, Kirkpatrick emphasized the need for resilience, alignment with institutional priorities, and clarity in mission. Schoenfeld shared findings from recent interviews with academic library leaders, highlighting how censorship and hostile policy environments are reshaping collection development, recruitment, and leadership practices. McEvoy brought a sharp focus to the digital dimensions of these threats, showing how rage farming, algorithmic bias, and internet-native political actors are reshaping policy and perception.
Together, the panelists outlined an urgent need for solidarity, strategic communication, and policy fluency. Academic libraries can no longer remain isolated from culture war dynamics. Instead, as the discussion affirmed, they must lead with purpose, both internally within their institutions and externally in their communities and legislatures.
Read the full panel summary from ER&L 2024 via ElectronicLibrarian.org:
https://electroniclibrarian.org/2024-closing-keynote-panel-summary/