ACRL - Standards for Libraries in Higher Education

ACRL - Standards for Libraries in Higher Education

Approved by the ACRL Board of Directors, June 2004


Preface
These standards differ from earlier ACRL library standards in four significant respects.

They are intended to apply to all types of libraries in higher education, from technical institutes to research universities.
The standards and key principles are designed as a tool to help libraries establish individual goals within the context of their institutional goals.
They focus on documenting the library’s contribution to institutional effectiveness and student learning outcomes
The standards provide suggested points of comparison for peer and longitudinal comparison, and encourage the development of other measures. Some measures of quality and quantity are used in this document, as well as questions to provide guidance for assessing each element of library operations and the provision of library services.
To be applicable to such a wide range of libraries, it is necessary that the standards not be prescriptive. Instead, they provide a comprehensive outline to methodically examine and analyze all library operations, services, and outcomes in the context of accreditation. The expectation is that these standards embrace key principles that will continue to be espoused by regional accrediting associations as critical elements or core requirements that provide a foundation upon which a library documents its compliance.

The standards refer to other specific ACRL guidelines and standards developed to address specialized operations and initiatives (for example, "Guidelines for Distance Learning Library Services," "Information Literacy Competency Standards for Higher Education," and "Guidelines for Media Resources in Academic Libraries"). The Committee recognizes that not all variations in types of collections or services are directly addressed in the Standards. Without incorporating such specifics directly into this document, it is anticipated that there would be less need for its frequent revision. It is expected that ACRL standards and guidelines, both existing and those developed later, as well as standards from other organizations, can be used as part of a library’s analytical structure as appropriate.