IMPACT: Research Library Summit
For 94 years, the Association of Research Libraries has been more than an association. We have been a catalyst for innovation, a community where careers are built and flourish, and a network of leaders that drives research libraries forward.
We are excited to announce our new multitrack experience for scholars, researchers, and practitioners—the IMPACT: Research Library Summit will advance the role of libraries in the research enterprise, aligning mission, strategy, values, and action. Open to all, IMPACT will bring unity and clarity to ARL’s support of the creation and sharing of new knowledge, and to ARL’s role in career development, across the broader research library community.
IMPACT: Research Library Summit, in July 2028, welcomes the audiences who previously attended IDEAL and the Library Assessment Conference and expands beyond those events to include the full range of research library priorities: advocacy and public policy, academic and intellectual freedom, inclusiveness and equity, scholarly communication, research analytics, sustainability, and operational excellence in research libraries. This event will be rich with peer-reviewed and invited content and networking experiences designed for research library deans and directors, senior leaders and staff, information researchers, and other key partners.
The global knowledge ecosystem is in a moment of massive disruption. Research libraries are anchor institutions, balancing technological advancement with preservation and development of human creativity and discovery. ARL stands at the center of these conversations, uniting perspectives, fostering collaboration, and providing the platform for ideas to take shape. We are the bridge between history and progress, between vision and action. Together, we will define the next era of research libraries.
Let’s make history, together.
Join us in
SEATTLE
July 31–August 3, 2028
Hyatt Regency Seattle
For the inaugural IMPACT: Research Library Summit, we’ll gather in Seattle, Washington, a city built on bold ideas and collective action. Our focus is clear: to look back, to push forward, to honor history while shaping what’s next.
Throughout 2026, we’ll be announcing calls for volunteers to join the planning efforts to shape the inaugural IMPACT Summit. Subscribe to ARL News to stay up to date on opportunities to get involved.
More details will be shared in the coming months about how you can be involved in this groundbreaking experience. Please email events@arl.org with questions or inquiries.
