CAUL Sustainable Development Goals Report 2019

The report details the important role that university libraries play in national and international development. Innovative services support education, training, and research, and economic development and growth.

Around 48 million visits were made to university libraries in 2018. Students, staff, alumni and the wider community benefit attended more than 480,000 digital literacy and information courses, developing new capabilities.

University libraries create connections to the world for researchers. We deliver access to more than 570,000 research outputs such as journal articles, book chapters, theses and creative works. Over 30 million downloads in 2018 increased the impact of the research. Innovative projects to make online text books free to first year students and publish research such as indigenous language resources are harnessing technology in new ways.

“Our libraries transform lives” said Margie Jantti, Chair of the Council of Australian University Librarians. “Every day our students and academics use Australian university library services to grow their knowledge and capabilities. These are our future leaders and agents of positive global change in the quest to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure that all people enjoy peace and prosperity”.

The new Times Higher Education University Impact Rankings, which measure institutions' social and economic impact using metrics based on the SDG, shows that libraries’ contributions toward the SDG is an issue of national and international significance. Australian university libraries are rising to the challenge.

CAUL Sustainable Development Goals Report 2019 (PDF, 8/04/2019)

Media Release (PDF, 10/04/2019)