Who We Are

The UNT Libraries make a difference. We facilitate teaching, learning, and research for students, faculty, and information seekers at UNT and around the world. Our expert staff, spaces, services, and collections support academic success and lifelong learning.

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Our Strategic Goals (2026–2030)

Willis Library exterior

Career Readiness @ the UNT Libraries

Develop
The UNT Libraries equip students, faculty, and staff with the information literacy, research skills, and hands-on experiences needed to thrive academically and in a rapidly evolving workforce. Through career-aligned programming, expanded internships, and intentional staff development, the UNT Libraries embed career readiness across services, collections, and daily operations.

Our Implementation Priorities

  • Career Readiness Assessment: As one of UNT's largest student employers, the UNT Libraries will partner with the Career Center to survey 250+ student employees on career preparedness, establish a satisfaction baseline, and use findings to strengthen training and skill-building programs beginning in Fall 2026. 

  • Research Literacy Programming: The UNT Libraries will launch student-driven research groups and host at least one student research showcase, building toward a role as a consistent curricular partner for research literacy across undergraduate and graduate programs. 

  • AI Literacy and Leadership: The UNT Libraries will integrate AI literacy into instruction sessions, workshops, and online learning resources while developing core AI competencies for library staff, positioning the UNT Libraries as a campus hub for AI guidance and ethical practice. 

  • Outreach and Community Partnerships: The UNT Libraries will develop a campus and community "road show" to promote library offerings, establish communities of practice with metro-area educational institutions, and launch baseline outreach metrics to track and scale partnership efforts. 

Core Metrics

1st to 2nd Year Retention
+

UNT Baseline (2024/25): 77% | UNT Target (2030): 90%

Unit contribution to achieving targets:

  • Through open educational resources, course reserves, and research assistance, UNT Libraries reduce financial and academic barriers that affect whether students return for their second year.
4-Year Graduation Rate
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UNT Baseline (2024/25): 42% | UNT Target (2030): 65%

Unit contribution to achieving targets:

  • Affordable access to course materials and academic support services reduce financial barriers that affect student persistence toward degree completion.
6-Year Graduation Rate
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UNT Baseline (2024/25): 61% | UNT Target (2030): 80%

Unit contribution to achieving targets:

  • Affordable access to course materials and academic support services reduce financial barriers that affect student persistence toward degree completion.
Annual R&D Expenditures
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UNT Baseline (2024/25): $124M | UNT Target (2030): $250M

Unit contribution to achieving targets:

  • Subject librarians, specialized research collections, and evidence synthesis services support faculty and student research productivity across all disciplines.
Doctoral Degrees Awarded
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UNT Baseline (2024/25): 286 | UNT Target (2030): 300

Unit contribution to achieving targets:

  • Specialized collections, subject librarian expertise, and research lifecycle programming support doctoral scholars from proposal development through completion and publication.
Time to Value
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UNT Baseline (2024/25): 6 years | UNT Target (2030): Decrease time for programs over median

Unit contribution to achieving targets:

  • Open educational resources and course reserve programs reduce the cost of education, while career readiness programming helps students build workforce-ready skills before graduation.

Emergent Metrics

Important Dimensions of Our Success that Require New Approaches

Post-graduation placement:
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Percentage of graduates placed in high-demand occupations or graduate and professional programs

N/A

Career-aligned learning:
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Percentage of academic programs that integrate internships, industry-sponsored projects, or other work-integrated learning experiences

One of UNT's largest student employers with 250+ student positions, the UNT Libraries will conduct a career readiness survey in FY27 to establish satisfaction baselines and expand assessment to other on-campus employers.

Awards and recognitions:
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Prestigious awards, exhibitions, and performances achieved by our students, faculty, staff, and alumni

UNT Libraries employees receive regular recognition from local, state, national, and international professional bodies. Systematic tracking and reporting will begin in FY27.

Innovation and entrepreneurship:
+

New ventures, startups, and public impact projects launched by students, faculty, and alumni

N/A

Student and alumni engagement:
+

Perceptions of how well UNT prepares graduates to pursue lives of meaning and purpose

N/A

Unit Level Metrics

 

  • Contribution to Affordability: Provision of required course resources and tools, including open educational resources, course reserves, and technologies such as laptops and calculators. Removing barriers to affordability through open educational resources and no-cost content benefits students academically and financially, contributing to persistence and retention.
  • Faculty and Staff Research: Contributions to university recognition through grant proposals, awards, and resulting scholarship. Research effort drives impact; impact shapes reputation; reputation affects recruitment, retention, and partnerships. Highlighting UNT Libraries' research successes highlights UNT's successes.