Sconul

What Sconul does

SCONUL (Society of College, National and University Libraries) is the professional association for academic and research libraries across the UK and Ireland, operating as a membership-funded non-profit incorporated as a company limited by guarantee (Registration 1436951) and registered with the Charity Commission (No. 278550). The organization represents 193 member institutions, including research-intensive universities, national libraries, specialist higher education providers, and cultural institutions holding national collections. From its headquarters at 94 Euston Street, London, SCONUL provides a portfolio of direct member services including the SCONUL Access Scheme (a reciprocal library access portal processing nearly 60,000 applications and receiving over 600,000 website hits per year), annual benchmarking statistics across the membership, a technology survey covering approximately 30 library technology functional areas, the Consultants Register, and the long-running Library Design Awards (in operation since 1973). The organization also facilitates the Unsub Agreement negotiated with Jisc, the Knowledge Hub resource repository, working groups, and consortia sub-groups (Academic Libraries North, Customer Services Group UK, Mercian Collaboration).

SCONUL's business model is subscription-recurring membership fees paid annually by the 193 member institutions, supplemented by revenue from conferences, webinars, and training programmes. The go-to-market is community-led and direct: libraries apply for membership to access advocacy representation, benchmarking data, inter-library cooperation, CPD resources, and networking through working groups and community of interest groups. SCONUL does not sell a technology product; its technology footprint consists of the Access Scheme portal, member authentication, and resource publishing infrastructure. Strategic priorities under the 2023-26 strategy include inclusivity and diversity, partnerships, shared services, advocacy for library value, and supporting the next generation of library leaders, with recent emphasis on AI as a sectoral topic through dedicated Community of Interest Groups and AI Coffee Mornings.

Governance is member-driven: the Board sets strategic direction informed by working groups and member priorities, and the Executive Director (Ann Rossiter) leads a small staff (1-10 employees). The organization holds a near-monopoly representational role for UK and Ireland academic libraries with government, regulators, and publishers. Strategic partnerships include Jisc (content negotiation), EBSCO and Clarivate (supporters), AdvanceHE (EDI training), and cross-sector collaborations with RLUK, CILIP, Libraries Connected, SCURL, and WHELF.

Name

Sconul

Legal name

SCONUL (Society of College, National and University Libraries)

Website

https://sconul.ac.uk

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

SCONUL is the membership-funded professional association for 193 academic and research libraries across the UK and Ireland, delivering the SCONUL Access Scheme, benchmarking statistics, advocacy, CPD programmes, and the Library Design Awards, governed by its members from a London headquarters.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Academic Library Professional Association Services

NAICS

Business Associations (813910)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYBPAGAHAF

Libraries, Archives & Special Collections

Business & Public Services/Nonprofit, NGO & Social Services/Arts, Culture & Heritage Nonprofits

Keywords

• Academic library association
• Professional library body
• Inter-library access scheme
• Library benchmarking statistics
• Library professional development

Headquarters

HQ city

London

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Revenue model

1. Membership Fees: SCONUL operates as a membership-based professional association for academic and research libraries. Revenue is generated through annual membership fees from its 193 member institutions across the UK and Ireland.
2. Event Fees: SCONUL generates revenue through conference and event registrations including the Autumn Conference, Spring Conference, and various webinars and training sessions.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

SCONUL is a professional membership association representing academic, national, and research libraries across the UK and Ireland. It delivers advocacy, policy development, inter-library access schemes, benchmarking and statistical services, consultancy registers, awards, training, mentoring, and networking opportunities to its 193 member institutions.

Product overview

SCONUL is a professional association for academic and research libraries in the UK and Ireland, not a technology product company. Its service portfolio consists of direct member services and professional development programmes rather than a unified software platform. Core member services include the SCONUL Access Scheme (reciprocal library access covering 600,000+ annual website hits and ~60,000 applications per year), Benchmarking Statistics (annual statistical return for 193 member libraries), the Technology Survey (covering ~30 library technology functional areas), the Consultants Register, Library Design Awards, and the Unsub Agreement negotiated with Jisc. Professional development offerings include Action Learning Sets, the Mentoring Scheme (SMOG), Leading Change on Race Equality Training (partnered with AdvanceHE), the Professional Service Directors' Programme, and Positive Action Trainee Resources. The organisation also facilitates working groups (Business Intelligence, Technology and Markets, EDI, Content, Organisational Development, Advocacy and Service Development), Consortia Groups (ALN, CSGUK, Mercian Collaboration), Community of Interest Groups (on AI, learning technologies, business intelligence, and systems librarianship), and the Knowledge Hub as a resource repository. No public API or AI/ML capabilities are offered.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• SCONUL Access Scheme

Quantifiable outcome

• 193 member institutions across UK and Ireland
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers9 records

Segments3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• EBSCO Information ServicescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEBSCO is listed as a supporter of SCONUL. As a leading provider of online research content and search technologies, EBSCO provides services to libraries worldwide. The partnership supports SCONUL's mission to serve academic and research libraries.
• ClarivatecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerClarivate is listed as a supporter of SCONUL. Home to leading research solutions including Web of Science, ProQuest, Ex Libris and Innovative, Clarivate supports institutions in transforming research and education. The partnership provides mutual benefit to the library community.
• Academic Libraries North (ALN)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerALN is a network of academic libraries in the North of England and a formally constituted sub-group of SCONUL. Through collaborative activities and mutual support, ALN provides opportunities for members in exchange of knowledge and experience, responding to emerging themes and challenges in higher education.
• Customer Services Group UK (CSGUK)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCSGUK supports library customer service professionals to develop, collaborate and share knowledge. Originally the M25 Customer Services Group, it became independent and national in 2014. It has a formal structure with a steering group and two task groups (Events and Research & Resources).
• Mercian CollaborationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Mercian Collaboration is a professional network formed from SCONUL member higher education libraries based in the East and West Midlands of England. It provides a space to work together on training, development, and seeking efficiencies for institutions and the wider community.
• JisccoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSCONUL and Jisc work together on various initiatives including the renewal of the Unsub UK National Agreement, content negotiations with publishers, and shared services for the academic library community. Jisc serves as a key partner for national negotiations and licensing.
• AdvanceHEminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSCONUL has partnered with AdvanceHE to offer subsidised 'Leading Change on Race Equality' development workshops for library professionals. This partnership enables SCONUL to provide reduced-cost training on EDI and anti-racism to members.
• Arts Council EnglandminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerArts Council England provided funding for a scoping study on leadership training for ethnically diverse communities within libraries, commissioned jointly by SCONUL, RLUK, CILIP, Libraries Connected, SCURL, and WHELF.
• Libraries ConnectedminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in the joint scoping study on leadership training for ethnically diverse communities. Libraries Connected is also a partner in the Green Libraries manifesto alongside CILIP, Arts Council England, British Library, and Julies Bicycle.
• Research Libraries UK (RLUK)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRLUK partnered with SCONUL on the scoping study for leadership training for ethnically diverse communities, along with CILIP, Libraries Connected, SCURL, and WHELF.
• CILIP (Chartered Institute of Library and Information Professionals)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCILIP partnered on the EDI scoping study and is a signatory to the Green Libraries manifesto alongside SCONUL. SCONUL's EDI work complements CILIP's professional standards.
• BUFDGminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSCONUL partnered with BUFDG along with ARMA, AUDE, CHEIA, HESPA, UCISA, and UHR to offer action learning sets to those with leadership responsibilities at member libraries.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• CILIP (Chartered Institute of Library and Information Professionals): UK chartered body for library and information professionals, offering advocacy, professional standards, and CPD. Direct peer: same UK library sector, overlapping membership base, and complementary mandates on EDI and sector advocacy.
• Research Libraries UK (RLUK): Consortium of major UK and Irish research libraries focused on collections strategy, digital scholarship, and advocacy. Direct peer: shares major member institutions with SCONUL, partners on EDI initiatives, and competes for the same advocacy voice on research library issues.
• AHUA (Association of Heads of University Administration): UK association for senior university professional services leaders across libraries, finance, HR, estates, and other functions. Direct peer: shares senior leadership CPD programmes with SCONUL (e.g., Professional Service Directors' Programme) and competes for member attention at the institutional leadership level.
• Libraries Connected: UK membership organisation for public library services, focused on advocacy, workforce development, and sector improvement. Direct peer: parallel UK library membership model, partners with SCONUL on Green Libraries manifesto and EDI work, serves a related but distinct library segment.

Regional players

• Association of Research Libraries (ARL): North American association of the largest research libraries, focused on advocacy, data, and policy influencing research library practice. Regional peer: closely comparable role to SCONUL for North American research libraries, with parallel benchmarking and advocacy programmes.
• IFLA (International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions): Global umbrella body for library associations and institutions, focused on international advocacy, standards, and professional development. Regional peer: same professional association model but international scope; comparable advocacy, benchmarking, and CPD programmes.
• LIBER (Ligue des Bibliothèques Européennes de Recherche): European association of research libraries advocating for open science, research support, and digital scholarship across Europe. Regional peer: comparable association model and mandate for research libraries, serves a wider geography but with overlapping institutional members.

Broad incumbents

• Jisc: UK not-for-profit providing digital, data, and technology services to higher education and research, including national content licensing and shared infrastructure. Broad incumbent: substantially larger, operates shared services that complement and partly overlap with SCONUL's content negotiation and Access Scheme remit.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Subsidiaries3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Sconul