New Report Released on Institutional Accreditation and the Academic Library
The EveryLibrary Institute is releasing a new policy report that explores the critical but overlooked need for academic library stakeholders to be involved with setting standards for institutional accreditation by regional accrediting agencies.
Across higher education, academic libraries play a foundational role in student learning, research, and institutional effectiveness. Yet, they are too often underrepresented or even overlooked in the accreditation standards that define institutional quality and eligibility for federal financial aid.
As regional accreditors revise their standards to align with new federal policies and shifting political priorities, the library's role is at risk of being diminished further. In many cases, standards now refer only vaguely to "resources and services" without requiring the presence of professional librarians, robust collections, or adequate staffing. This erosion creates uncertainty for library leaders and weakens the position of academic libraries within their institutions.
To address this growing concern, the EveryLibrary Institute has published a new policy report:
Institutional Accreditation and the Academic Library: A Strategy for Engagement and Representation.
This report is designed to help academic library leaders, consortia, systems, and professional associations understand how the seven accrediting agencies review, revise, and adopt their institutional standards. It outlines how libraries can participate meaningfully in those processes, influence the language of future standards, and safeguard their critical role in accreditation frameworks.
This report clarifies the timelines, decision-makers, and engagement points for each accreditor, providing actionable guidance for academic library stakeholders to advocate for stronger, clearer, and more consistent representation of libraries and librarians in institutional accreditation.
Download the report: https://www.everylibraryinstitute.org/institutional_accreditation_academic_library_report