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Lesley University Library Mission and Vision
LESLEY UNIVERSITY LIBRARY MISSION
The Lesley University Library provides high quality collections and information
services in support of the University's research mission as well as the integration
of academic and field-based learning. To fulfill its mission, the Library
will develop collections of sufficient
quality, size, and diversity to support the teaching and research requirements
of the academic community. This requires materials that embrace the full spectrum
of information media. The library will anticipate collection needs and establish
collection strength to support graduate and undergraduate programs in education,
expressive
therapies,
human services, psychology, the visual arts, as well as the liberal arts and
sciences,
in a broad range of formats. It will facilitate access to collections owned
by other institutions and serve as a gateway to global networked information
resources.
The library will collaborate with faculty to teach the research skills necessary
for students to utilize information resources independently, critically, and
efficiently
using both traditional and new information technologies. Through information
literacy programs and informal assistance, the Library provides an avenue
to professional achievement and lifelong learning for individuals in the university
community. The library will provide a staff that possesses and continually
reinforces the specialized skills and knowledge necessary for the Library to
function in
a diverse,
global, and increasingly complex information environment.
VALUES
The Library is of central importance to the University. A dynamic combination
of people, collections, and facilities, its purpose is to assist users in the
process of transforming information into knowledge.
Our core principle is excellent service to our community. In all of our activities
we seek to meet or exceed our users' expectations. We set high standards
for the contribution we make to the University's pursuit of knowledge and educational
excellence. We value diversity of perspectives
and unfettered access to information. We value the privacy of every patron.
To meet future challenges, our staff will endeavor to be resourceful, innovative,
and flexible professionals. We recognize the critical contribution we make
to the effectiveness of the Library. We believe that these values are
central to realizing the University's
vision.
LIBRARY VISION
Lesley University Library, in partnership with students and faculty, will
create information-rich environments that empower and inspire the Lesley Community
for teaching and learning. A dynamic, student-centered library will provide
opportunities to access and evaluate information and to effectively and ethically
communicate learning through discussion, print, media and the arts.
Scholarship
The Lesley Library is the intellectual center of scholarship for the University.
It provides the services, resources and environments appropriate to support
the mission of a far-reaching university that is a national leader in education,
offering innovative programs through the Art Institute of Boston, the Graduate
School of Arts and Social Sciences, Lesley College, and the School of Education.
As a primary source of support for the academic pursuits of the University,
the library provides the expertise of its staff to teach information literacies
to faculty and students, guiding the search, evaluation, and use of information.
Students and faculty use the Library’s considerable resources through
both physical and virtual environments. The Library holds a vision that all
students, staff and faculty will have universal access to the services and
resources necessary for their academic work, consistent with diverse learning
styles, abilities, and locations.
Staff
Library personnel build close personal connections with students and faculty,
locally and at a distance, to guide the programs, collections, and goals
of the library as it transforms for the 21st century. Library staff members
reach out to students on and off-campus through services such as Interlibrary
Loan, Electronic Reserves, Ask-A-Librarian, and other instructional and consultative
services. Library professionals provide expertise and leadership in the creation,
management, and delivery of information services and resources. They guide
students, faculty, and staff in their use of increasingly complex information,
and create teaching resources that inspire and enable student learning. In
the information age, librarians play a primary role in the development of
information-fluent citizens, capable of academic excellence and life-long
learning.
Collections
The Library develops digital and physical collections that enhance the undergraduate
experience, enable graduate students to prosper, and assure that the teaching
and research interests of faculty and Ph.D. candidates be supported. Library
collections support students in their research with resources that mirror
the wide-ranging intellectual endeavors of Lesley University, guided by consultation
with faculty. Electronic databases identify physical materials, and deliver
digital resources such as journal articles, e-books, images and multi-media
to student and faculty desk-tops.
Where quality, access, technologies, and network capabilities meet the needs
of Lesley populations, digital resources will be the preferred choice in
collection development. The Library will continue to collect physical resources,
including print books and journals, multimedia and curriculum materials,
and art resources, where the physical experience of the medium is primary
to learning or where digitization rights are not available. Students and
faculty will enjoy universal access to collections through local use, networked
environments, resource-sharing with consortial partners, and interlibrary
loan, as appropriate to need and location. Physical materials will be digitized
and delivered electronically where feasible and in compliance with the intellectual
property policies of the University.
Virtual Environments
Students and faculty will enjoy seamless access to the expanding world of
digitized information through secure single sign-in authentication. Robust
networks will empower students, faculty and librarians to research, collaborate,
and share new learning, through communication tools and media. The Library
will continue to build interactive online services to reach out to students
and faculty through reference, instruction, and resource sharing. The virtual
library environment will evolve as information technologies change and institutional
needs expand.
Physical Environments
The physical library is a building where members of
the Lesley community come to share academic life and to interact in teaching
and learning. Students
residing on-campus will find an environment supportive of study and individual
learning styles. Commuting students will enjoy a common space where they
can collaborate on group work with peers living across the region. Faculty
and advanced graduate students will discover quiet areas for reflective
study and consultation. All community members will have choices of accessible
and
welcoming spaces that are flexible, active and interactive – designed
to encourage collaboration with library professionals, collections and
tools.
The Library reaches out to all of Lesley’s communities, local and
remote, through innovative services developed and managed from the library
facilities.
The physical plant accommodates preparation, preservation, and access to
collections, from circulating materials to archival and special collections,
in a variety
of media and formats. The Library will continue to employ creative alternatives
to house materials, including remote storage, digitization, and online
delivery.
Partnerships
The Library builds strong partnerships across the University – with
students to shape library experiences that enhance lifelong learning; with
faculty to align collections and services with curriculum and pedagogy; with
University Technology to develop robust and dynamic technology environments;
with Disabilities Services to create accessible spaces and resources; and
with other University-wide programs to serve the Lesley communities. The
Library participates with external networks, consortia and other partners,
to maximize access to the world of information and to build resources for
a growing University.
The Lesley University Library will provide leadership in the University
community to support academic excellence through research and scholarship
in the information environments of the future.
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