New Survey Released for U.S. Academic Libraries
The Association of College and Research Libraries published a report detailing academic library operations for the 2024-25 year.
Updated on Oct. 13, 2026 in Higher Education
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The Association of College and Research Libraries has released its 2025 Annual Survey, providing a comprehensive look at the state of academic libraries across the United States. This new report covers data collected throughout the 2024-25 academic year.
Why it matters
This survey provides the only source of comprehensive national data following the sunset of the IPEDS Academic Libraries component after fiscal year 2024. It serves as a vital tool for understanding current institutional resources in the absence of previous government reporting.
The report spans 25 pages and covers academic library operations during the 2024-25 fiscal year. These survey results are weighted to represent all academic libraries across the United States.
The players
Association of College and Research Libraries
This professional association is a division of the American Library Association that focuses on serving the needs of academic and research libraries.
The details
The Association of College and Research Libraries conducted this research to fill the data gap created when the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) ceased its Academic Libraries component. The document is available in PDF format to provide stakeholders with a national perspective on library service trends.
Timeline
The survey covers the 2024-25 academic year.
The IPEDS Academic Libraries component ended after fiscal year 2024.
The final survey report was published on October 13, 2026.
Culture Shift
The publication of this survey marks a departure from the historical reliance on the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) Academic Libraries component for national data. This shift highlights a transition toward industry-led reporting models for tracking the evolution of academic institutional resources.
Academic staff and students may find this data useful for understanding how their local institutions compare to national benchmarks following changes in government reporting. The PDF report provides transparency for researchers and administrators evaluating the current capacity of college libraries.
The takeaway
The Association of College and Research Libraries survey represents a shift toward independent oversight of institutional data. Academic professionals should review the report to better understand the national standards and performance metrics that now define modern library service.
Further reading
For more information on the current state of university resources, visit the Higher Education section.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Library Journal infoDOCKET.
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