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As libraries look ahead to a post-pandemic future, they have a unique opportunity to retain what worked well, address what didn’t, and learn from the experiences since Spring 2020.

Expanding online and hybrid workshops and events will allow libraries to reach a broader audience, ensuring that these formats continue to thrive. Creating equitable experiences for both students and faculty, as well as staff, is crucial to fostering an inclusive environment where everyone has fair access to resources and opportunities. Maintaining digital access to general collections and showcasing special collections will keep libraries relevant and accessible in the digital age.

Redesigning services to support research, holistic student development, and innovative teaching and learning will help libraries stay at the forefront of educational advancements. Collaborating with partners can further enhance these efforts, bringing in new perspectives and resources.

Sustaining flexible work arrangements will allow library professionals to choose where, when, and how they work, promoting a healthier work-life balance and potentially increasing job satisfaction. To assist institutions in reimagining their libraries, we’ve compiled a collection of insights and tools developed over the past few years.

For a quick dive into the future of libraries, check out the op-eds and recent panel discussion co-authored by Elliot Felix. These resources offer valuable perspectives and actionable ideas.

•  in Library Journal provides a vision of the future in which libraries become true connectors of people and catalysts for discovery with imagined stories of student projects, library workshops, special collections, staff work, and work.
•  in College and Research Library News describes a new role for campuses and the unique contribution libraries can make in supporting experiential learning, bringing together support services, and physical and digital access to collections and services.
•  is a panel discussion organized by SCUP (Society of College and University Planning), AASCU (American Association of State Colleges and Universities), and ACRL (Association of College and Research Libraries). As part of a panel discussion, Elliot talks about how libraries are leading the way to transform higher education in the future as adaptable, student-centered places – places that bring together support services, advance equity and inclusion, and enable experiential learning where students work in teams on projects that make a difference.

To reimagine your library, start by understanding the overall transformation process, whether it’s for a single floor, an entire building, or a master plan for the whole system. Begin with the entry sequence, ensuring it welcomes users by seeing things through their eyes, inviting them in, orienting them, and inspiring them.

Service desks, often the first point of contact, need to be rethought. They should move from fortress-like structures to more inviting and flexible areas where services, space, and staffing come together efficiently, effectively, and equitably.

As you rethink entry and support, you’ll need to balance space for collections and users. This involves answering the crucial question: how many seats are needed? We provide an overview of a new utilization-based approach to forecasting this.

Creating an information or learning commons that integrates library services with technology and student service partners is well understood. However, research commons present a newer, more complex challenge. They require defining roles, spaces, services, and staffing to support a variety of research activities and participants.

Reflecting on changing staff roles is also essential. Staff must uncover needs, collaborate with non-library partners, and work in new environments to enable student success.

Libraries have a bright future. While they may seem focused on the past, they are actually leading the way to the future, setting examples for their institutions. They foreground equity, catalyze innovative instruction, and serve as hubs of student support services, offering help with research, writing, data analysis, and communications.