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Who We Are

The Association of Research Libraries (ARL) is a nonprofit membership organization of research libraries and archives in major public and private universities, federal government agencies, and large public institutions in Canada and the US.

With scholars and scholarship at the core of all we do, our Association bridges policy and practice, contributing the greatest value at the intersection of three critical venues in the research and learning environment:

  • Research libraries and their parent organizations
  • Research and learning communities
  • Public policy makers

Below you’ll find these key organizational statements:


Vision Statement

The Association of Research Libraries creates a trusted, equitable, and inclusive research and learning ecosystem and prepares library leaders to advance this work in strategic partnership with member libraries and other organizations worldwide.

Mission Statement

The Association of Research Libraries empowers and advocates for research libraries and archives to shape, influence, and implement institutional, national, and international policy. We develop the next generation of leaders and enable strategic cooperation among partner institutions to benefit scholarship and society.

Values

Inclusiveness and equity. ARL believes in building an inclusive research ecosystem where talented scholars everywhere have the opportunity to contribute to human knowledge building, unhindered by barriers such as cost, access to information, or discrimination; and the fruits of knowledge work are applied to benefit society broadly. This commitment to inclusiveness extends to the work of the organization and a desire to maximize member participation in the Association’s work.

Academic/intellectual freedom. ARL believes in the importance of honest and open discourse and debate to the development of human knowledge and to responsible and effective governance. ARL believes in the right of individuals to express ideas, ask questions, and pursue research that reflects their own priorities—particularly when such ideas are underrepresented, unpopular, or critical—unhindered by political interference, personal attacks, or harassment.

Sustainability. ARL believes in fostering a research and knowledge ecosystem that is financially, technologically, and ecologically sustainable, and prioritizes this both in business practice and advocacy work. Our global human knowledge record must be preserved and accessible long into the future to support continued positive impact on the human condition. Success relies not only on systems and economic models that support this preservation and build-up of knowledge, but also on the continued existence of a life-sustaining planet.

Human potential. ARL believes in the power of people to secure the future of our profession and mission. It’s why we invest in leadership development programs for our members, and develop and reward our ARL staff with competitive pay, encouragement, respect, a flexible and agile work environment, and opportunities for growth.

Operational excellence. ARL believes in operating with goals, values, and processes that are responsive to members’ needs, well articulated, fiscally accountable, ecologically sustainable, and effectively communicated. ARL is committed to recruiting and retaining top talent, and to prioritizing work of distinctive and unique value to the research library community and global knowledge ecosystem more broadly.

Code of Conduct

Included among ARL’s guiding principles is the commitment to “engage all member representatives in the work of the Association with respect, fairness, and integrity. Foster an environment of inclusion, equity, nondiscrimination, and pluralism.” This Code of Conduct is intended to articulate how the Association will adhere to that guiding principle.

ARL is committed to developing and maintaining a welcoming, inclusive, and respectful environment—one that will strengthen collaboration, promote intellectual freedom, and support honest discourse and debate. We ask that you listen as much as you speak; yield the floor to those whose viewpoints may be underrepresented; use welcoming language; accept critique graciously and offer it constructively; give credit where it is due; and stay attuned to the welfare of those around you.

ARL does not tolerate personal attacks, harassment of any kind, or disruptive behaviors by participants in conferences, events, meetings, online forums, or any other activities under ARL’s aegis. Anyone asked to stop these behaviors is expected to comply immediately. If you have been involved in or witnessed an incident that potentially violates this Code of Conduct, please advise a designated ARL Ally, a member of the ARL Code of Conduct Committee (CCC), or a member of the ARL staff as soon as possible. ARL will address all reports with discretion and confidentiality as appropriate and will take actions it deems necessary, including warning the alleged offender, requesting that an offender leave an event, or seeking out trained professionals to assist in handling issues of harassment.

ARL Code of Conduct Policy and Protocol

The ARL Code of Conduct Protocol is under review.

Please complete this online form to submit a formal Code of Conduct violation report.

ARL’s 2023–2026 Action Plan

The Association’s 2023–2026 Action Plan states the priorities for the organization. There are five strategic goals, with goal statements and initiatives.

Advocate for an information policy environment in which research libraries advance the progress of knowledge

Goal Statement  Initiatives
Represent, empower and activate the research library community in advocacy for the creation and dissemination of knowledge
  • Inform and equip ARL members to engage in conversations and decisions with institutional leadership about key information policy issues, including accessibility, copyright and fair use, open internet, privacy, freedom of expression, and access to government information
  • Represent, engage, and activate ARL members in advocacy opportunities to influence information policy, such as responding to notices of inquiry and requests for information; signing on to letters by coalition partners; participating in advocacy days for library, education, and research funding; and meeting with law and policy makers.

Advocate for and equip research library and archives leaders as partners in advancing research and scholarship that is increasingly open and equitable

Goal Statement Initiatives
Bridge research policy and practice through engagement with research partners, stakeholders, and decision makers, resulting in opportunities to collectively inform and shape the research and learning ecosystem
  • Partner with higher education, government agencies, and scholarly communities to build capacity for scholar-focused research services with a particular focus on research data, public impact and community-engaged scholarship, and information integrity.
  • Strengthen the university-based publishing ecosystem through collaboration with scholarly communities, with particular focus on the next phase of TOME and advancing shared interests of libraries and presses.
  • Provide member resources and programming on enduring and equitable access to ARL libraries’ rich and diverse research collections, with a focus on community-based archives and community engagement.

Demonstrate the value and contributions of research libraries and archives to their communities

Goal Statement Initiatives
Lead the development, implementation, and evaluation of the tools necessary to demonstrate what it means to be an inclusive, impactful, and effective research library and/or archive.
  • Complete the work of the ARL Statistics Revision Task Force to recommend changes to the ARL Statistics survey that would better reflect metrics that the ARL membership would like to collect and track.
  • Develop a post–Research Library Impact Framework strategy.

 

Implement a strategy for leadership and organizational development through programming and events that develop library deans, directors, and staff to meet the challenges and opportunities presented by the significant changes underway in research, teaching, and learning

Goal Statement Initiatives
Position research library dean/directors and their successors (associate/assistant level) as strategic leaders in the profession. Strengthen diverse and inclusive leadership practice throughout research libraries and archives.
  • Launch the Intensive Learning Program
  • Hold Learning and Development Events/Institutes (for Deans and Directors).
  • Evaluate and assess learning programs

 

Promote the creation of diverse, equitable, and inclusive work environments, services, and collections by member institutions

Goal Statement Initiatives
Engage with members to realize sustainable and targeted change that addresses historical and contemporary inequities through intentional programs, frameworks, and partnerships; these efforts include advancing antiracist practices, increasing accessibility, and promoting the impactful and transformative work happening at and among member institutions.
  • Plan and hold IDEAL 2024
  • Develop and implement a member representative DEI learning engagement program
  • Develop recommendations for ARL for Indigenous Land Acknowledgements and the Acknowledgement of Enslaved Laborers and Labor
  • Complete planning for and pilot the ARL DEI Institute

 

The Association’s two ongoing commitments are to:

  • Create a welcoming and inclusive experience for all member representatives and library and archives staff participating in the Association, providing equitable opportunities to engage
  • Deepen and expand the understanding of the research library’s value with key stakeholders in the research and learning ecosystem through communication

Affiliates