Accreditation standards and academic library requirements

Abstract

As academic libraries face increasing pressure to justify their budgets and demonstrate their value, accreditation standards may be considered as a potential source of externally validated requirements. However, while accreditation standards may implicitly or explicitly acknowledge the role of libraries, they fall short in providing specific guidance on library infrastructure, collections, staffing, and service requirements. The shift toward outcomes-based assessment in accreditation and library assess-ment tools further complicates efforts to define library require-ments in objective terms that decision makers unfamiliar with library operations can easily understand. This presents some challenges for library leaders who are trying to advocate for adequate financial resources in the institution’s budget process.