The thesis is an examination of the changing relationship between the academic library and university research. Advances in information technology, shifts in the modes of knowledge production and changes in research practice have affected all points of the research lifecycle. The implications for library practice are far-reaching. Informed by a review of the literature on the drivers of open access, digital scholarship and the knowledge economy, a web-based Delphi study was designed, conducted and analysed to identify the factors likely to have most impact on library practice. Thirty-five expert participants, all employed in roles such as library directors within universities, were asked to consider current and future scenarios for the development of the academic library, its identity and its shape and direction. In particular, the Delphi study investigated the overlapping areas of open access policy, research data management, organisational capacity, scholarly communication and peer review, and library leadership and workforce development. The findings of the research highlighted, firstly, the complexity of the policies and strategies associated with open access, secondly, their likely profound impact on the concept and character of the academic library, and, thirdly, the extent to which university and library leaders have yet to fully appreciate the potency and urgency of digital scholarship. The argument of the thesis is that academic libraries need to embrace transformative change and cultural shift across the entire research lifecycle, rather than simply responding with local, iterative change. In drawing on the expert understandings and reflections of key players, a conceptual framework is developed, to raise awareness of emerging issues and serve as a guide to future action.
