About Library Consolidation

The University of Wisconsin-Madison Libraries have undergone an incredible transformation in recent years, with people looking to libraries for a growing variety of uses. The re-envisioning of our service methods, delivery models, and spaces is critical to enhancing the support the Libraries provide to the research, teaching, and learning needs of campus.

With the support of campus leadership, including Chancellor Rebecca Blank and Provost Sarah Mangelsdorf, the Libraries are proactively aligning services, collections, and spaces to reduce the physical footprint of collections space on campus. These joint initiatives have provided the Libraries an opportunity to collaborate with departments to reimagine how teaching, learning, research, and the libraries intersect.

Consolidation will take many forms across campus, with emphasis on the following areas:

1. Concentration of print collections into fewer locations using a comprehensive print management program, as outlined here.
2. The repurposing of spaces vacated by the print collections for academic use; in particular, for supporting student learning and collaboration activities.
3. Redeployment of staff expertise, including creation and expansion of teams to deliver a more robust continuum of support to users, and the strengthening of library liaison roles to support current and emerging campus priorities in research, teaching, and learning.
4. Establishment of a service model that leverages our technology ecosystem and integrates support for new forms of scholarly communication in new and productive ways.