Can Academic Libraries Keep Up with Digital Consumption Culture?

Abstract

This study examines how digital consumption culture is reshaping academic libraries and investigates whether libraries can adapt to changing user expectations while maintaining commitments to equitable access, information literacy, preservation, and public service. Guided by the research question, “Can academic libraries adapt to digital consumption culture while maintaining their core values?” The study employed a scoping literature review of scholarly articles, professional reports, and academic publications published primarily between 2015 and 2026. Literature was collected through major academic databases and analyzed using thematic synthesis. The reviewed literature served as the study’s data source. Analysis identified four major themes: the shift from ownership to subscription-based access, increasing platform dependency and vendor control, evolving research behaviors shaped by convenience and algorithms, and tensions between access and preservation. Findings indicate that digital platforms have expanded access to information but have also created financial, technological, and ethical challenges that threaten long-term sustainability and institutional autonomy. The study concludes that academic libraries can remain relevant by balancing user-centered services with preservation efforts and critical information literacy initiatives. Future research should examine the long-term effects of platform dependency, artificial intelligence, and algorithmic systems on scholarly communication and library services.

Keywords: academic libraries; digital consumption culture; subscription economy; platform dependency; information literacy; digital preservation; scholarly communication; user behavior; higher education