Albany's University Libraries:
Connecting People with Information —
Our Mission, Vision and Values

Mission:

The University Libraries strengthen and enhance the teaching, research and service of the University at Albany. The Libraries promote intellectual growth and creativity by developing collections, facilitating access to information resources, teaching the effective use of information resources and critical evaluation skills and offering research assistance.

Vision:

The University Libraries are engaged in learning and discovery as essential participants in the educational community. We develop, organize, provide access to and preserve materials to meet the needs of present and future generations of students and scholars. We explore and implement innovative technologies and services to deliver information and scholarly resources conveniently to users anytime/anyplace. We also provide well-equipped and functional physical spaces where students can pursue independent learning and discovery outside the classroom. The University Libraries support scholarship and research productivity and foster their vitality.

Values:

• We recognize users as our primary focus.
• We are innovative and proactive.
• We support self-education, learning, research and scholarship.
• We foster cooperation by sharing resources via local, national, and international networks.
• We promote equity of access to information.
• We value diversity.
• We respect user privacy.
• We defend intellectual freedom.
• We develop our human resources and support continuous professional development.
• We aspire to be a flexible and experimental organization that encourages innovation and staff collaboration.

Objectives:

• Expand and improve user access to digital resources
• Increase the effectiveness of the Libraries’ Web site as an information resource and expand and improve users’ Web access to library resources and services
• Improve access to library collections via the Online Public Access Catalog (OPAC)
• Provide access to digital content created at the University at Albany

Objectives:

• Provide assistance and instruction to users to help them navigate effectively in a complex information environment
• Maximize access to library services to increase effective use of resources and collections by students and faculty

Objectives:

• Acquire information resources that reflect institutional curriculum and research priorities
• Maximize the timely and long-term availability of the Libraries’ information resources

Objectives:

• Identify Special Populations of Users and Create Services designed to meet their needs.

• Market library services, collections and staff expertise within the University community to increase visibility and user awareness of them.
• Hire, retain and develop a talented and diverse faculty and staff and help them develop a sense of community based on shared mission, vision and values.
• Seek a level of funding from both University and external sources to adequately sustain the current operations of the libraries, plus capital investments in new technologies and service initiatives.
• Provide physical spaces within the UA Libraries that users find functional and attractive.

Objectives:

• Assist students to acquire the basic information literacy skills they need to achieve academic success
• Increase faculty awareness of issues in scholarly communication
• Maintain a collaborative relationship with the Department of Information Science graduate students and faculty.