Mississippi State University marked its admission into the Association of Research Libraries with a campus celebration. Joining the occasion were, from left, Provost and Executive Vice President David R. Shaw, President Mark E. Keenum and MSU Libraries Dean Lis Keith. Effective July 1, MSU becomes the only Mississippi institution represented in the prestigious organization.
Mississippi State University Libraries has earned membership in the prestigious Association of Research Libraries, making MSU the only Mississippi university included in the elite group of 125 research university libraries to hold ARL status in the U.S. and Canada.
The ARL membership voted at its Spring 2026 Association Meeting to invite the MSU Libraries to join ARL, effective July 1.
“Achieving Association of Research Libraries membership has been a top priority and central focus for our outstanding university library system, and I am thrilled to see our MSU Libraries leadership, faculty and staff achieve this goal,” MSU President Mark E. Keenum said.
“We are proud to be Mississippi’s leading research university, and ARL status reflects and enhances the incredible research our students, faculty and staff are engaged in every day,” he added.
Keenum noted ARL membership is the culmination of years of effort and investment on the part of many faculty, staff and friends of the MSU Libraries.
The ARL is a nonprofit membership organization of research libraries and archives in major public and private universities, federal government agencies, and large public institutions in Canada and the U.S. ARL champions research libraries and archives, develops visionary leaders, and shapes policy for the equitable advancement of knowledge.
MSU Provost and Executive Vice President David R. Shaw said the selection of the MSU Libraries for ARL status “is a validation of the caliber of research conducted daily at MSU and of the scientists and researchers who do that hard and relevant work.”
“MSU scholars depend on the quality of our library and our librarians to advance their research,” Shaw said. “ARL represents the best of the best in university research libraries.”
MSU Libraries advance the university’s land-grant mission of teaching, research and service. The libraries support a growing research enterprise through robust collections, digital scholarship services, and a strong commitment to open access and data-informed research.
Through technology-rich, student-centered spaces, including 24/7 learning environments, and integrated services such as advising, writing support, and undergraduate research, the libraries play a vital role in student success. The libraries also steward nationally significant special collections, including the Ulysses S. Grant Presidential Library and the Frank and Virginia Williams Collection of Lincolniana.
Committed to innovation, student success, and global impact, MSU Libraries are a key partner in advancing research and scholarship at the land-grant university.