How can the library be best positioned to continue enabling student and institutional success? The Community College Academic and Student Support Ecosystem research initiative seeks to examine how student-facing service departments—including academic libraries—are organized, funded, and staffed at community and technical colleges across the country.

The Community College Academic and Student Support Ecosystems (CCASSE) project examines how academic and student support services at not-for-profit associate-degree granting colleges are organized, funded, and staffed in order to most effectively advance student success. Between February and November 2020, we interviewed 37 chief academic officers, chief student affairs officers, library directors, faculty members, and students from community colleges across the United States. The interviews provide insight into the changing organizational strategies colleges are employing to align supports with student needs; challenges and success factors in connecting students with appropriate resources; the impact of COVID-19 on student support needs and service provision; and additional strategic considerations, such as the use of analytics and funding strategies, that affect how colleges make decisions and navigate change.