(12 Feb 2026) During recent decades, universities have faced increasing pressure to demonstrate their value and impact by contributing to real-world problem-solving and meeting broader societal needs. The reasons for this increased pressure are complex and numerous—reflecting socio-economic and socio-political considerations, globalization and intensifying competition, and growing demands for accountability and demonstrable public value. At Virginia Tech, our library’s research impact and intelligence team, of which we are all members, supports institutional strategy, researcher visibility, and decision-making in response to these demands. In this article, we’ll outline the emergence of research impact and research intelligence work in libraries, trace the development of our department, and illustrate how analytics, research information management, and consultation services are operationalized alongside ongoing efforts to promote responsible interpretation and use of research metrics.
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