As higher education faces growing demands to develop student employability, the academic library’s role in developing essential skills has never been more critical. Join us as to hear how the University of Maryland library connects students and faculty to high-quality books, supported by ScienceDirect, to build strong foundations in information literacy, critical analysis, and research, and to bridge the gap between knowledge and real-world application.

In this session, we’ll explore:

• How books and digital platforms provide a foundation for both academic achievement and career readiness, supporting the development of critical skills and real-world problem-solving.
• Strategies for engaging students and faculty, marketing library resources, and leveraging usage data to inform proactive collection development.
• The evolving role of libraries in integrating technology and AI tools to meet emerging academic and workforce needs.

The session will conclude with an interactive Q&A.