Objective. The article examines the legislation of Ukraine in the framework of library reform. It is noted that in the presence of all changes and additions, the wording of the Law of Ukraine "On Libraries and Library Affairs" of 2021 regulates the activities of mostly public libraries. The peculiarities of the activity of libraries of higher educational institutions (HEI) are not reflected in the law. Methods. The methodological basis of the study were: general methods of thinking; general scientific and interdisciplinary methods. We can also distinguish: analysis and synthesis, abstraction, formalization and dialectical, as a general scientific method of cognition. Results. An example of a legal conflict regarding the legitimacy to use the status of a research and educational worker by the director of a University library is analyzed in detail. The study proves that libraries of higher education institutions are not obliged to conduct research and educational activities. However, in the absence of scientific lectures, workshops, and research, the library is reduced to the level of a subdivision of the HEI, whose activities are aimed only at providing information on scientific and educational activities of teachers and students. Conclusions. On the example of the Scientific Library of Ivan Franko National University of Lviv, known in Ukraine and abroad for its scientific lectures, art projects, research and explorations, the relevance and importance of conducting scientific and educational activities by Scientific Libraries of the HEI is shown.