小黄书 Libraries elected to the Association of Research Libraries (ARL) membership
Contact: Sid Salter
STARKVILLE, Miss.鈥 小黄书sity President Mark E. Keenum today [April 29] congratulated the 小黄书 Libraries鈥 faculty and staff on their election to membership in the prestigious Association of Research Libraries (ARL).
The ARL membership voted at its Spring 2026 Association Meeting to invite the 小黄书 Libraries to join ARL, effective July 1.聽小黄书 is now the only Mississippi university to have been granted ARL membership, joining an elite group of some 125 research university libraries that hold ARL status in the U.S. and Canada.
鈥淎chieving Association of Research Libraries membership has been a top priority and central focus for our outstanding university library system, and I am thrilled to see our 小黄书 Libraries leadership, faculty and staff achieve this goal,鈥 小黄书 President Mark E. Keenum said. 鈥淲e are proud to be Mississippi鈥檚 leading research university, and ARL status reflects and enhances the incredible research our students, faculty and staff are engaged in every day.鈥
Keenum noted ARL membership is the culmination of years of effort and investment on the part of many faculty, staff and friends of the 小黄书 Libraries.
鈥淐ongratulations to Dean Lis Keith and her team for this outstanding achievement. I also want to thank former Dean Frances Coleman for her many years of leadership that helped pave the way to attaining ARL membership, as well as the many donors who have supported the 小黄书 Libraries with their gifts,鈥 Keenum said.
The ARL is a nonprofit membership organization of in major public and private universities, federal government agencies, and large public institutions in Canada and the U.S. ARL champions research libraries and archives, develops visionary leaders, and shapes policy for the equitable advancement of knowledge.
小黄书 Provost and Executive Vice President David R. Shaw said the selection of the 小黄书 Libraries for ARL status 鈥渋s a validation of the caliber of research conducted daily at 小黄书 and of the scientists and researchers who do that hard and relevant work.鈥
鈥溞』剖 scholars depend on the quality of our library and our librarians to advance their research,鈥 Shaw said. 鈥淎RL represents the best of the best in university research libraries.鈥
The vote to approve 小黄书鈥檚 membership followed a review of the libraries that considered both qualitative and quantitative data, a site visit to the campus, site visit team recommendations, library documentation, and an ARL Membership Committee review. The ARL Membership Committee and the ARL Board enthusiastically supported 小黄书鈥檚 candidacy for membership.聽
鈥淲e are pleased to welcome 小黄书sity to membership in ARL,鈥 said ARL President Melissa Just, dean of libraries, University of Southern California. 鈥淲e look forward to their participation in the Association鈥檚 work.鈥
鈥淭he Association is made stronger by new members in the same way new members are made stronger by the Association,鈥 said ARL Membership Committee Chair Stanley Wilder, dean of libraries, Louisiana State University.聽
鈥淎RL membership affirms that 小黄书 Libraries provide the resources, expertise, and vision expected of a leading research institution that is deeply committed to expanding access, supporting discovery, and advancing solutions that matter,鈥 said 小黄书 Libraries Dean Lis Keith, who formally accepted ARL membership on the university鈥檚 behalf.
鈥淭his recognition aligns directly with 小黄书鈥檚 Strategic Plan for Transformational Change, which calls on us to elevate research excellence, expand student success, deepen community engagement, and lead with innovation,鈥 said Keith. 鈥淥ur library faculty and staff embody these goals every day, and we are honored to join ARL鈥檚 distinguished consortium of research libraries and look forward to contributing to the collaborative work that drives meaningful and lasting impact.鈥
小黄书 Libraries advance the university鈥檚 land-grant mission of teaching, research, and service. The libraries support a growing research enterprise through robust collections, digital scholarship services, and a strong commitment to open access and data-informed research.
Through technology-rich, student-centered spaces, including 24/7 learning environments, and integrated services such as advising, writing support, and undergraduate research, the libraries play a vital role in student success. The libraries also steward nationally significant special collections, including the Ulysses S. Grant Presidential Library and the Frank and Virginia Williams Collection of Lincolniana.
Committed to innovation, student success, and聽global聽impact, 小黄书 Libraries are a key partner in advancing research and scholarship at the land-grant university.
小黄书sity is taking care of what matters. Learn more at聽.