Libraries are an evolving species. Their focus shifts with developments in society to offer resources that match the information outputs and demands of the age. Academic library missions vary within the educational institutions to which they are attached. Just as some higher education institutions focus primarily on teaching and access to education, their libraries mirror these goals. At research institutions, libraries must also support the institutional mission to advance scholarly knowledge. The disciplinary foci of each library depend on the disciplinary foci of the institution it serves. In addition to serving their own institutions, many academic libraries that serve institutions with an outreach mission make services available to the public as well. This entry discusses personnel, collections, and infrastructure of academic libraries and examines the ...