Do universities need digital strategies?

As cuts in UK higher education start to bite, it has become clear that all universities should act strategically in deploying digital technologies. Jisc’s Framework for digital transformation in higher education, offers a comprehensive approach to managing the dramatic change which is taking place in all our lives now that the world of business and work is largely driven by digital technologies. The lack of a digital strategy leaves institutions at the mercy of rapid technological changes without the ability to determine which position they will take to ensure its effective adoption and deployment. In 2023 we published a report, Digital strategies in UK higher education: making digital mainstream, offering an overview of how UK universities are developing and implementing their digital strategies.

What about university libraries?

Libraries have already undergone huge changes in technology over the last 40 years or more and in many instances were early adopters of digital technologies because they had to be. The ever-growing digital information market, where hard copy books form only a small part of the publisher offer and in which digital products have come to dominate during the early part of the 21st century, has driven this change. Equally libraries have been the purchasers of databases, finding aids and electronic catalogue records, all of which are essential to running a library. Books too are now often electronic, and journals are entirely, making procurement systems completely digital.

In parallel we have seen universities, enterprise wide, adopt more digital systems not least driven by the web and the cloud. But because libraries have already made significant investment in developing skills and digital literacy capabilities, they should be at the heart of the overall digital transformation in universities. We observe that in many instances this is not happening, with some exceptions where the library does significantly contribute to developing institution wide strategies.

What are we doing about it?

We have already proven, through piloting, that our Digital Transformation Framework in higher education, and its accompanying maturity model, will aid institutions, but we want more. We want libraries to be seen as thought leaders or, if they are in some way less central to an institution, we want those who already have a seat at the table to share their knowledge to bolster all librarians. We have therefore brought together 45 senior librarians, into a working group, to help us develop pathways into our existing digital transformation framework; a so-called library lens. Some of our participants have already contributed to institution wide pilots of the existing methodology.

Recently we ran a webinar to invite the library lens working group to aid us in developing the pathways. In advance we ran a brief questionnaire with the group. We received 24 responses out of a total of 45 institutional representatives. The working group has representation from across higher education mission groups.

Responses to the questionnaire 

Q1: Is your organisation adopting a strategic approach to digital change/digital transformation? (eg does your university have a digital/digital transformation strategy/senior lead at PVC level?)

Out of 24 respondents, ten already have a strategy; nine have none; some have a new strategy or are undertaking a review of an existing one and others incorporated their digital approach into other strategies.

One respondent stated: “As far as I am aware ‘digital transformation’ is not discussed. Our IT department have a roadmap for the organisation, and we work in partnership with IT on specific areas of work. The IT department’s workload is significant and the major IT projects for the next few years seem fairly reactionary simply due to capacity.”

This is indicative of many responses where, in the wider institution, digital is thought to be to do with IT with an emphasis on technology. Our Digital Transformation Library Lens will seek to bring closer scrutiny to the many aspects of digital transformation and show that in the library IT has often been only a component of digital change.

Serving a multiplicity of patrons means that the main focus for libraries has to be on access to content, on delivering a good user experience and an understanding that, central to the use of technology, are digital capabilities and skills (for more please see our Library and learning resources service staff role profile). Libraries have already learned that more than simple investment in technology is needed to drive organisational change and to deliver on missions and values.

Q2: If so has anyone from the library been involved – and at what level?

Nine respondents indicated that the library is involved in the institutional strategy.

Though the figure is fairly low we do see that in some institutions the library is at the table of transformation with one respondent stating: “Various members of our Library Management Team (of which I am a part), have been involved in these different strategies.”

Q3: What are the challenges around digital transformation for the library service?

The top three challenges amongst others are (in bold): capacity, time and space to think, staff as resource, digital capability/skills, balancing BAU with innovation, IT infrastructure and cyber security, reliance on others (eg IT), financial constraints, competing priorities, lack of wider understanding, complexity of systems, range of roles and expertise and the need to be involved/have a voice.

Again, a colleague responded to the survey stating that there is “A concerning lack of understanding of the necessary complexities of library services/systems/skills/workflows required in a modern university environment to provide an excellent student and staff experience.”

Q4: Do you think the expertise of library teams that could inform and enable digital transformation across all areas of business is recognised (and utilised) at your organisation?

Only 6 of the 24 felt that the library is sufficiently involved in institution wide change. Many responded that they do not have a seat at the table and their expertise is not sufficiently recognised.

Q5: What could Jisc do to help you become involved in the conversations and drive forward digital transformation?

Most respondents felt that we can best act as convenors, develop case studies and templates to aid libraries to make institutions more aware of the necessity for libraries to be centre stage in transformation.

One respondent felt that Jisc could “address the lack of understanding” by documenting systems in all their technical complexity.

This is a challenging response as the issue of IT dominance can be seen as a barrier to the wider changes the framework seeks to engender in a holistic way. This is of course why we have a working group so that we can examine a wide range of positions and travel towards a shared understanding.

Getting involved

If you are interested in this work, please do not hesitate to get in touch and please keep an eye on this blog for further updates. Our next webinar is planned for the end of February when we also already hope to have a rough draft of the lens to share with the working group. Our intention is to publish it in the autumn of 2025.

You might also be interested in joining our wider senior leaders working group for digital transformation. You can find more information on how to join here.