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Home Libraries Administration Strategic Plan 2007-2010

Strategic Plan 2007- 2010

Mission Statement

The University Libraries is a leader in providing access to and managing information services and resources to support teaching, learning, and research for the University of Memphis community.

Statement of Values

Providing the varied services, resources, and programs of the University Libraries requires the involvement of many people. While each individual utilizes his or her own particular expertise and background and adopts his or her unique way to accomplish each task, the overall effort is guided by a common set of values that binds the whole together with common purpose. As they go about meeting the Libraries' established objectives, University Libraries' faculty and staff are committed to the following values:

Service

The University Libraries seeks excellence in providing assistance to all library users while ensuring that access to information resources is provided in an open, receptive, and courteous manner, with a commitment to freedom of information and equity of access.

Quality

The University Libraries strives to deliver effective user services, resources, and programs, using the highest feasible standards of management, assessment, organization, and delivery. We are simultaneously committed to the development of a knowledgeable, versatile, and skilled faculty and staff.

Integrity

The University Libraries affirms the principles of academic freedom and provides all services, programs, and operations with honesty, openness, and accountability.

Diversity

The University Libraries values and appreciates the differences, among our users, our collections, and our faculty and staff. We endeavor to provide a climate of acceptance and respect for all points of view and for all individuals, whether members of the university community or the community-at-large, without regard to race, ethnicity, gender, age, lifestyle choice, or physical abilities.

Collaboration

The University Libraries partners with the departments and colleges to provide resources and services to support the academic programs of the University. We join with other academic communities and libraries throughout Tennessee, the Mid-south region, and the nation to enhance access to information resources beyond the University Campus.

Innovation

The University Libraries identifies, investigates, evaluates, and implements new and emerging methods for obtaining appropriate resources and providing relevant services to meet known and/or anticipated user needs.

GOALS  2007 - 2010

To accomplish the overall mission of the University Libraries, resources and energy will be focused on achieving the following goals.

  1. Build, preserve, and support collections that meet the needs of present and future users.
  2. Develop, explore, and implement new information technologies and resources.
  3. Develop and implement strategies that maximize the effectiveness of the integrated library system (ILS)
  4. Develop, promote, and deliver instructional services and resources to meet changing user needs.
  5. Invest in library personnel to enhance their abilities to provide library services and resources.
  6. Collaborate with other units of the University, the urban community, the professional community, the region, or the nation to improve access to information resources.
  7. Develop and implement marketing and development plans that will enhance visibility and image and increase the resource base of the University Libraries.

GOALS AND OBJECTIVES

I.  Build, preserve, and support collections that meet the needs of present and future library users.

Objectives:

  1. Develop diverse collections that support the teaching, study, and research that occur throughout the University including remote sites.
  2. Create original information resources that add to the body of information resources available for library users.
  3. Seek additional funding for building and supporting library collections and programs that meet the needs of the university community.
  4. Develop a plan for an environmentally viable and secure storage facility to accommodate lesser-used materials in support of our roles as a research library and the Regional Depository for Federal Documents for the state of Tennessee.
  5. Update and maintain, in collaboration with the teaching and research faculty, comprehensive collection development policies that will provide guidance for the ongoing growth and development of all of the Libraries' collections.
  6. Work with staff in appropriate offices on campus (physical plant, space planning, academic affairs, finance, etc.) to integrate the libraries' space needs into campus planning.
  7. Evaluate electronic resources for purchase and retention in keeping with appropriate Collection Development Policies, with special attention to archiving, accessing, and purchasing collaboratively.
  8. Collaborate with others to acquire and utilize newer technologies for the preservation and reproduction of graphic and written archival materials, with emphasis on digital preservation of materials.
  9. Identify and implement appropriate collection assessment tools and techniques.

II. Develop, explore, and implement new information technologies and resources that contribute to the success of the Libraries.

Objectives:

  1. 1. Improve and expand Web-based access to information resources for on-campus and remote users.
  2. Explore new opportunities for consortial purchases of electronic resources.
  3. Implement a life cycle replacement plan for the servers and other system-wide backbone components that support library programs and services.
  4. Collaborate with ITD, the Provost's Office, and other appropriate units to develop and implement a plan that will support regular replacement and upgrading of the computers and software needed by libraries' staff.

III. Develop and implement strategies that maximize the effectiveness of the Libraries' integrated library system (ILS).

Objectives:

  1. Develop and adopt standards for creating and maintaining high quality data in the integrated library system.
  2. Improve the quality of the bibliographic and item records in the online catalog.
  3. Add records to the libraries' database for collections that are not currently represented in the online catalog such as microform collections.
  4. Develop and implement plans for maximizing the use of the integrated library system.
  5. Provide leadership and oversight for the successful execution of contractual agreements among the participants in the Memphis-III Partnership.

IV. Develop, promote, and deliver instructional services and resources to meet changing user needs.

Objectives:

  1. Offer library instruction sessions and resources that meet the needs of library users and enhance the information fluency of students and faculty of the University.
  2. Take advantage of available technologies to improve user access to library instruction.
  3. Develop and deliver instruction that helps classroom faculty to maximize the integration of library resources into their courses.
  4. Train selective depository personnel across the state in the use of electronic access to government information in fulfillment of our responsibility as the Federal Regional Depository for the state of Tennessee.
  5. Offer library tours and focused visits to groups and individuals on the campus and throughout the community.

V. Invest in library personnel to enhance their abilities to provide excellent customer service along with appropriate library services and resources.

Objectives:

  1. Update and maintain current position descriptions for all library personnel including faculty, staff, and students.
  2. Implement strategies to make sure that positions within the University Libraries are properly classified and compensated.
  3. Develop strategies for identifying and addressing organizational weaknesses.
  4. Develop, conduct, sponsor, or coordinate training or staff development opportunities for University Libraries' personnel to assure essential competencies for all library personnel in appropriate areas of responsibility.
  5. Promote meaningful communication throughout the University Libraries in support of an open, informative, and cooperative environment.
  6. Make Libraries policies and procedures available to all library personnel in a timely and consistence manner.
  7. Ensure that Libraries' faculty and staff have access to the supplies and equipment needed to accomplish their jobs.

VI. Collaborate with other units of the University, the urban community, the professional community, and the region to improve access to information resources.

Objectives:

  1. Maintain active collaboration with the Faculty Senate's Library Policy Committee and other appropriate university organizations.
  2. Participate fully in cooperative library programs and activities such as: the Memphis Area Library Council (MALC); TENN-SHARE; West Tennessee Academic Library Collaborative (WETALC); Tennessee Union List of Serials, Association of Southeastern Research Libraries (ASERL); LYRASIS); and OCLC.
  3. Serve as a source for federal government information to city, county, state, and federal agencies and offices.
  4. Collaborate with appropriate departments across the campus to create and support joint programming that highlights the collections, services, and resources, of the University Libraries.

VII. Develop and implement marketing and development plans that will enhance the visibility and image and subsequently also increasing the resource base of the University Libraries.

Objectives:

  1. Build on the relationship with the Friends of The University of Memphis Libraries to enhance the continued growth and effectiveness of the collections, services, and programs of the University Libraries.
  2. Develop strategies that build on the University Libraries' relationship with the Office of Marketing, Advancement, and Government Relations to stimulate positive action from that office on behalf of the University Libraries.
  3. Develop and implement a comprehensive plan for communicating with constituents both on and off campus.
  4. Implement mechanisms that enable the University Libraries to respond to user needs in a more timely and systematic manner.
  5. Expand efforts to attract external funding for the programs and services of the Libraries especially focusing on endowment funding.
  6. Develop and implement a comprehensive plan for public programming that highlights the resources of the University Libraries, attracts users into the library, and creates opportunities to pursue external funding.

Revised - Oct 2009

2003-2006 Strategic Plan and Update: