Publication trend on library leaders and sustainable development goals (SDG): a publication review

This academic publication review evaluates the evolving global research landscape surrounding library leadership and its alignment with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). As higher education institutions and information centers actively align their strategic goals with the 2030 Agenda, library leaders play a pivotal role in promoting universal literacy, open access, digital equity, and community engagement. To map scholarly outputs and research trajectories in this field, this bibliometric review analyzes ten years of publication data indexed in major citation databases (such as Scopus and Web of Science) across three core dimensions: (1) Publication Trends and Growth Patterns, tracking the gradual increase in research volume following the formal adoption of the SDGs; (2) Geographic and Institutional Distribution, identifying leading contributing countries (dominated by the USA, United Kingdom, and Australia) and highlighting the current research gap within Southeast Asian and developing nations; and (3) Cross-Disciplinary Synergies and Strategic Directions, outlining recommendations for interdisciplinary collaborations, policy formulation, and resource allocation to strengthen library leadership initiatives in sustainable development. The findings demonstrate that while scholarly interest in library-led SDG contributions continues to expand, enhanced local and international collaborative research is essential to bridge existing geographical disparities. Ultimately, this study provides an empirical benchmark for library administrators, policymakers, and researchers seeking to optimize strategic leadership and advance sustainable development through information institutions