To my surprise and disappointment, the New England Commission of Higher Education (NECHE) has removed libraries and library work from its 2026 Draft Accreditation Standards.
The EveryLibrary Institute drafted a paper, “At the Risk of Disappearing: How the Draft 2026 NECHE Standards Remove Libraries and Librarians from Accreditation,” that provides an overview of the proposed changes.
I am dismayed by this development. Although it does not directly impact law libraries, it does affect our on-campus colleagues. Who is to say that this change will not influence the ABA?
The proposed change is an affront to libraries and library staff and will further diminish faculty research and student learning at colleges and universities.