The Benefits of Digital Collections in Academic Libraries (Part 1)

The changing role of the academic library

Academic libraries are still the heart of campus, but their role is changing. Since the COVID-19 pandemic, demand for digital collections has grown steadily.

Students have led the shift. In Library Journal's 2022 College Student Library Usage survey, accessing digital resources was the most common way students used their library, cited by 61.2% of respondents.

Budgets have followed. Ithaka S+R's US Library Survey 2025 found that materials budgets remain concentrated in digital resources, with e-book spending expected to grow from 11% to 14% by 2030.

Part 1 of this two-part series looks at what digital collections do well.

More space

Many libraries are running out of room. In 2017, Cambridge University began building a £17.1 million off-site store after its open shelves neared capacity. In 2025, Washington University in St. Louis was moving books out of its main library, with storage forecast to fill within five to seven years.

Digital collections let libraries keep growing without adding shelving.

Wider access

Digital texts are available on and off campus, so students aren't left buying course materials they can't afford. Digitising rare items protects the originals while opening them up to more readers.

Features such as adjustable fonts, translation tools and text-to-speech also help resources meet the needs of every learner.

Lower costs, if managed carefully

Budgets are tight on both sides of the Atlantic. SCONUL's 2025 survey found that 73% of UK university libraries were cutting their budgets, and 76% had reduced spending on journals and academic resources. In the US, Ithaka S+R found that 81% of library leaders at four-year institutions reported financial challenges.

Digital is not automatically cheaper, because licences renew every year. Open educational resources (OER), which are free to access, can replace some expensive subscriptions and outdated print.

New ways to use the space

Smaller physical collections free up room for collaborative study areas, makerspaces and technology. The University of Calgary's Taylor Family Digital Library, for example, offers three virtual reality spaces for teaching, learning and research.

Coming next week

Digital collections bring real benefits, but they also bring challenges, from the digital divide to data privacy. Part 2 looks at those challenges and how evidence helps libraries build one balanced collection.

Want to see how your collection is performing today? Book a free cHQacademic demo.