Abstract:

[Purpose/Significance] The formulation of the "15th Five-Year Plan" represents a pivotal strategic task for academic libraries in China. This plan coincides with a period of profound transformation, which is driven by the national agenda for high-quality development in higher education, as well as by the disruptive advancements in artificial intelligence (AI) and open science. This study aims to provide a reference for strategic planning and service innovation by systematically deconstructing the strategic plans of world-class university libraries. [Method/Process] This study employed a qualitative research design centered on document analysis. The research sample comprised the publicly available strategic planning documents of ten university libraries affiliated with institutions ranked within the top 50 of the QS World University Rankings 2026. A combination of text analysis and directed qualitative content analysis was applied to systematically deconstruct the sample. The analytical process involved three primary phases. 1) A formal text analysis was conducted to examine the planning documents' attributes, including their formulation bodies, planning cycles, and temporal scopes. 2) A coding framework consisting of ten strategic categories was deductively developed based on core elements of library strategic planning. 3) Using this framework, a detailed content analysis was performed. Every sentence or segment within the strategic texts that expressed a discrete strategic goal, initiative, or key action was identified as a unit of analysis, systematically coded, and categorized. This process enabled a two-dimensional examination: a frequency analysis of strategic foci and a more granular, qualitative interpretation of strategic objectives and specific measures. This methodological approach allowed for the extraction of both quantitative patterns and rich qualitative insights into the strategic direction and operational tactics of the world's leading academic libraries. [Results/Conclusions] The analysis reveals several key patterns and shifts in the strategic planning of world-class university libraries. Regarding formulation and governance, a parallel model is prevalent, featuring leadership from dedicated strategic offices or committees coupled with collaborative input from a multi-stakeholder body including staff, faculty, and students. Planning cycles are predominantly five years but are increasingly characterized by dynamic iteration, with provisions for mid-cycle reviews and updates, balancing long-term vision with operational agility. The substantive content of the strategies indicates a decisive transition from a focus on collection stewardship to an integrated knowledge service paradigm. Three dominant strategic thrusts are identified: 1) intelligent service ecosystem, emphasizing tiered information literacy, AI-embedded teaching support, and human-centered space design; 2) comprehensive research support, aiming to provide seamless services across the entire research life cycle－from idea generation and data management to publication, impact tracking, and public engagement; 3) extended social value creation, manifesting in commitments to digital inclusion, cultural heritage stewardship, community partnership, and environmental sustainability. Based on these findings, the study proposed a tailored pathway for Chinese academic libraries to formulate their "15th Five-Year Plan." Our recommendations include: 1) strengthening strategic governance by establishing a permanent planning unit to enable rolling revisions; 2) constructing an AI-enabled, integrated ecosystem that synergizes resources, services, and smart spaces; 3) establishing a data-driven, full life cycle research support chain; 4) building an open resource system and actively integrating into the global open science network; 5) expanding the social service matrix to concurrently address cultural heritage, inclusive access, and green transformation; and 6) deepening organizational capacity reform to foster a skilled, agile, and resilient workforce. A limitation of this study is its reliance on published planning texts, which may not fully capture the nuances of implementation challenges or internal organizational dynamics. Future research should employ mixed methods, such as surveys or interviews with library strategists, to study the execution barriers, success factors, and impact assessment of these strategic plans. This will provide an even more holistic understanding of strategic management in the complex, technology-driven future of academic librarianship.

Key words: university libraries, 15th Five-Year Plan, strategic planning, world-class universities