08/08/2026
WAL 2026 Concludes in Fuzhou: Charting the Future of Academic Libraries Through Transformation and Integration
The 2026 Academic Library Future Forum (WAL) successfully wrapped up in Fuzhou, bringing together global library leaders under the theme "Transformation and Integration." Experts from across the world explored how academic libraries can redefine their mission and amplify their value in the AI era.
Wang Shuguo, President of Fuyao University of Science and Technology, called for libraries to evolve into information hubs and data analysis centers that support interdisciplinary, project-driven innovation, enabling knowledge to flow in real-world problem scenarios.
Kate Robinson, President of the International Association of University Libraries (IATUL) and University Librarian of the University of Bath, emphasized the need to integrate new technologies and capabilities with libraries' enduring values of openness, equality, and service, and urged strengthened interdisciplinary, cross-institutional, and cross-border collaboration to build an open, accessible, valuable, and resilient library future.
Jin Jianbin, University Librarian of Tsinghua University, and Huang Xianjin, Director of the Steering Committee for Library and Information in Higher Education under the Ministry of Education and University Librarian of Nanjing University, positioned libraries as strategic pillars for education reform, research transformation, and social development, with Huang specifically calling for academic libraries to actively integrate into the broader logic of economic and social progress.
Zhang Hongwei, General Manager of CNKI, highlighted AI4S as a catalyst for reshaping research, positioning libraries as "academic partners" and "digital intelligence hubs" embedded in core university operations, and invited global libraries to join CNKI's AI4S ecosystem initiative.
Notable sessions:
🔹Consuella Askew, Vice President of University Libraries and University Librarian of Rutgers University, focused on the human dimension, emphasizing that library staff must evolve in sync with educational transformation and changing user needs to sustain professional vitality.
🔹Wang Xuemao, Dean of Libraries and Charles Deering McCormick University Librarian of Northwestern University, took a strategic view of collection development, proposing that research libraries should transition from "repositories" to "research engines," offering inspiring directional thinking for redefining library functions in the AI era.
🔹Kara Jones, Vice President of the International Association of University Libraries (IATUL) and University Librarian of the American University of Sharjah, introduced the "Golden STARS" framework as a systematic approach to empowering smart library services that advance university sustainability and impact.
🔹Gao Zesen, Learning Technology Developer at the University of Hong Kong, and Yu Ni-lin, Library Assistant at the University of Hong Kong, jointly highlighted the critical shift from information literacy to AI literacy, showcasing practical explorations in AI-enhanced learning services.
🔹Benjamin Meunier, University Librarian of The Chinese University of Hong Kong, called for reshaping research libraries into AI-empowered knowledge ecosystems, with deep reflections on ethics, literacy, and collaborative engagement.
🔹Salihin Mohammed Ali, Librarian (User Experience & Technology) at Singapore Management University, approached from the human resources angle, stressing the urgent need to cultivate AI-literate librarians to build organizational capacity fit for the AI era.
🔹Ellen Tise, Chief Director of Library and Information Services at Stellenbosch University, offered a global perspective, outlining a future-oriented vision for sustainable university libraries.
🔹Guan Xiaolan, General Manager of CNKI International, shared practical insights on CNKI's pathway from AI applications to AI-Ready infrastructure, contributing pragmatic thinking on bridging innovation and implementation.
Parallel forums addressed leadership cultivation, open science implementation, research support enhancement, and innovation strategies in modern private higher education libraries.
CNKI's digital exhibition showcased AI-driven solutions in resource management, information literacy, smart services, and cultural education—paving the way for libraries to become intelligent knowledge hubs.
WAL 2026 proved that libraries are no longer just knowledge transfer stations, but active co-creators of a smarter, more collaborative knowledge ecosystem.
