Andrew Barker has been Library Director at Lancaster University since September 2019.

Prior to that, he held a number of senior roles within a wide range of UK universities. Within these institutions, he has been responsible for all aspects of library leadership, including content, academic liaison, open research and archives & museums. At Lancaster, Andrew has led the development of a new library vision and led the successful application for Lancaster University to become a member of RLUK. He is passionate about working with local communities and believes that the library should be a gateway into the university for its communities and that our role is as research partners, not simply service providers.

Throughout his career in Higher Education, Andrew has worked visibly and actively across the sector, often working closely with publishers on projects and advisory boards. Andrew was chair of UKSG between 2018 and 2022 and is currently co-chair of SCONUL.