Between budget constraints and passion. Rethinking libraries at Austria’s private universities

Abstract

This article reports on a survey conducted in spring 2025 among the heads of academic libraries at Austrian private universities. The study aimed to provide a differentiated picture of these institutions’ current conditions, challenges, and prospects. It examined infrastructural and staffing resources as well as issues of strategic inclusion, relations with faculty and students, technical equipment, and the perception of library work within higher education and society.
The analysis is structured around six thematic areas, each high-lighting central challenges and pointing to development opportunities. The findings reveal a heterogeneous landscape: some libraries are well-equipped and innovative, while others face structural shortcomings that significantly hinder their work.
The article concludes with recommendations to strengthen libraries through targeted investment, enhanced collaboration, and digital innovation, calling for a cultural shift in which libraries are recognized as central hubs of knowledge and academic development rather than mere cost centers.