University of Maryland Libraries Strategic Plan

MISSION, VALUES, VISION

Definitions: A mission statement sets forth what we do.

A statement of values sets forth who we are.

A vision statement addresses where we want to be.

Mission

The Libraries’ mission is defined in the context of its parent organization. The University of Maryland has a mission statement adopted in 1993, the beginning of which is "Institutional Identity":

The University of Maryland College Park (UMCP) [sic] is the flagship institution of the University of Maryland System [sic]. As the comprehensive public research university for the State of Maryland and the original 1862 land grant institution in Maryland, UMCP has the responsibility within the UMS for serving as the state’s primary center for graduate study and research, advancing knowledge through research, providing high-quality undergraduate instruction across a broad spectrum of academic disciplines, and extending service to all regions of the state.

Following is the mission statement for the UM Libraries:

The direct mission of the University of Maryland Libraries is twofold: providing access to and assistance in the use of the scholarly information resources required to meet the education, research and service missions of the University.

1. It is building, organizing, maintaining and preserving these resources;


2. It is interpreting, instructing and educating in the use of these resources.

Beyond this direct mission, the Libraries, to the extent possible, serve the larger scholarly community.

Values

The Libraries have two statements that summarize who we are: the service philosophy, emphasizing the outward look, and the work culture statement, focusing on the inner. They form two necessary components of a values statement. The March 1998 service philosophy is a product of the Service Task Force. The work culture statement synthesizes staff’s ideas and views from the August 1998 sessions.

Following are excerpts from the "Scholarly Information Service Philosophy."

Service Philosophy

We Are a Service Organization
The work of every member of the staff contributes directly to the service mission of the Libraries. The pursuit of service excellence at all levels requires the ongoing commitment and dedication of all staff. This is truly a collaborative effort that recognizes the need for continuous improvement, innovation and experimentation on behalf of our customers, internal as well as external.

What We Do
The research university is a quintessential information "driven" institution with demanding information needs for all of its functions. Within this broader context, the primary mission of the Libraries is building, organizing, accessing, maintaining, preserving, interpreting, and educating in the use of scholarly information resources which enable the teaching-learning process and research.

Who We Serve
The Libraries are committed to serve the students, faculty, staff and administrators of this institution in support of the University's educational and research missions. . . .The Libraries also have a clientele outside the University. The University's flagship status and land-grant mission challenge us to serve a wide-ranging community with our available resources which in effect makes us the research library of the state of Maryland. We have responsibilities to other libraries both in the immediate region and beyond. . .

How We Serve
Courtesy, thoroughness, accuracy and the provision of alternative resource options underlie information transactions at all levels. An overriding goal is to educate our users to become independent and self-reliant information seekers. Ongoing evaluation of our programs and services assures that we are meeting, in the spirit of CQI, high standards of quality and targeting user priorities. Motivated, approachable, knowledgeable and well-trained staff, who are committed to facilitating access to information and creating a pervasive instructional environment for users, contribute to the overall quality of our services.

Following is the statement from the Work Culture Task Force, drafted and revised December 1998 – February 1999:

Work Culture Statement

The primary mission of the Libraries is building, organizing, accessing, maintaining, preserving, interpreting, and educating in the use of scholarly information resources which enable the teaching-learning process and research. In order to fulfill this mission, the Libraries must have a staff that is qualified, informed, well trained, dedicated, and appreciated. To that end, the libraries are committed to hiring, training, developing, and retaining a diverse staff in a creative and supportive work environment. Desirable work culture includes shared institutional values, priorities, rewards and other practices which foster inclusion, high performance, and commitment, while still allowing diversity in thought and action. The Libraries' work environment relies on flexible guidelines and a team-based system, rather than rigid policies, procedures, and organizational structure. This work culture rewards the initiative of individuals and self-starting teams that identify and solve complex problems on their own. The Libraries staff is responsible for participating in defining the Libraries mission, values and vision within the context of the Libraries role in supporting the mission of the University. The Libraries’ mission is accomplished as staff take personal responsibility for its realization in their individual job assignments and their group work and team work.

The third component of a values statement is the desirable work values, or "key values," derived by the Work Culture Task Force from the staff’s postings at the Vision, Values, and Leadership Sessions held August 19-20,1998, and as grouped and presented below.

Key Values

If key values are to be valuable and useful, at least three principles must be applied:

1. Internalization/Adoption. Staff members must make each value meaningful for themselves.
2. Operationalization/Implementation. Values must be put into practice. They must be observed in action.
3. Reciprocity. What is good for the individual should be good for the organization and vice versa.

Vision
The University of Maryland Libraries will be an innovative leader and partner in the research library and scholarly information communities. We will be a model for client-centered service excellence, providing information resources that enhance learning and teaching in an environment both physical and virtual that is inviting and user-friendly. We will hold ourselves to high standards of expertise, performance and contribution to the larger effort, in an organization that will enable and reward achievement of these high standards.

Preface

Goals

UM Libraries Home | Publications | Strategic Plan | Search UM Libraries

Libraries, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742-7011 (301)405-0800
Please send comments and suggestions to the Libraries' Webmaster.
Content questions should be directed to Information Provider
Last modified: May 21, 2008

© 1999 University of Maryland Libraries
Last Revised: 23 September, 1999