Politics and the positioning of academic libraries

Political engagement for optimal positioning within their campus environment is vital for academic libraries, with consequences for recognition, influence, resourcing and prospects. There can, however, be a reluctance among library staff to participate in campus politics, sometimes through feelings of disdain and a sense that this conflicts with library values. Failure to embrace the political dimension of campus life carries high risk as politics is central to decision making, especially about resources whose scarcity generates intense competition among many powerful actors. The stakes are high and The Journal of Academic Librarianship recognized the importance of politics through a regular column a decade ago. This article re-visits the politics of academic libraries at a time of uncertainty when the stakes of successful positioning have become even higher. It considers today's political environment on campus and how well or otherwise academic libraries are currently placed to engage with it as well as proposing ways in which they can maximize their chances of successful positioning. It concludes that political striving is both inevitable and prominent on campus, generating many political engagements for academic libraries which impact their positioning and to which they bring a mix of advantageous and disadvantageous factors. Positioning is both political and practical and academic library staff can develop the necessary skills, instincts and habits for success.