Claire T. Carney Library Mission & Vision
Library Mission Statement
As the largest information center in southeastern Massachusetts the Library will support the academic programs, and cooperate with extracurricular activities and community organizations to the extent material and human resources allow, to carry out the University of Massachusetts mission to support access, excellence, innovation, economic development, public service and quality of life.
ACCESS: Providing affordable access to information within and beyond the library to enhance the research, study and teaching opportunities of a diverse community. Offering a quality environment for pursuing self-education and discovery as part of the social and intellectual experience of a UMass Dartmouth education.
EXCELLENCE: Offering breadth and depth of resources in all formats, personalized service in locating, evaluating and effectively using library/media resources and distinguished instructional programs to teach library users to think critically about information.
INNOVATION: Incorporating new technologies and services to help administration, faculty, students and community users discover, create and disseminate knowledge.
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT: Creating collaborative programs among the University Library staff, faculty and business, labor and human services to educate the present and future workforce in the vital connections between appropriate and timely information and sound economic decision-making.
PUBLIC SERVICE: Maintaining and developing resource-sharing and library education efforts between the UMass Dartmouth and other libraries while continuing to strengthen service to the K-12 educational community, social service agencies and the general public.
QUALITY OF LIFE: Stimulating the intellectual and cultural growth of the campus and region by providing excellent facilities, equipment and technical expertise to create and support outstanding collections, programs and exhibits.
© – UMass Dartmouth Library
Library Vision, Values, & Commitments
Our Vision
Historically at the center of the university’s intellectual process, the UMass Dartmouth Library is many things to many people. It is the librarian working with a student in the discovery and evaluation of search methods and knowledge resources. It is the physical building with its collections, its seating for group study and individual contemplation. It is a virtual space with resources that are accessible at anytime from anywhere. At its best the library is a sanctuary outside the classroom where one can freely locate and compare the newest printout of information with ideas from other times and places. To meet these expectations and other challenges we will continue to pursue our commitment to excellence, innovation and cooperation in the provision of library services.
Our Values and Commitments
Values and commitment form the underlying framework that an organization builds on and reflects through all its actions and services. Developing a culture that resonates as true and vital to everyone both within and without the library is the first responsibility of the library’s administration and staff. It is important then that the values and commitment be stated explicitly and that all goals and decisions taken on thereafter embody their intent.
To pursue our commitment to excellence, innovation and cooperation in the provision of the library services the Claire T. Carney Library recognizes the following values and commitments as essential to its mission:
Service: Service is what we are about. We recognize our responsibility to provide a vigorous, responsive and thoughtful service to all of our users. We understand that our increasingly diverse group of users with varied backgrounds, skills and needs require ever more careful consideration in the creation and implementation of services. We are an organization that understands its values and we seek to embody them in our work and in our direct service to our users.
Cooperation: As individuals and as an organization we are committed to open and honest communication and actions. Out of such a basis we strive to work with others both within and without the library and university to provide the best resources and services.
Innovation: Innovation is fundamental to our ability to anticipate needs and deliver on our commitment to excellence in our daily work and services. We will create a work environment where discovery, experimentation, creativity and acceptance of occasional failure are nurtured and encouraged.
Excellence: Excellence is quality in action. Quality is a value determined by our users. We are determined as an organization to regularly seek out and pay close attention to our users needs and expectations. We are committed thereby to the continuous improvement of our services, our resources and our users’ environment.
Learning: To provide the best we must help ourselves become the best. For our staff to remain knowledgeable, innovative and capable of performing our best work requires a real understanding of and commitment to creating and maintaining an environment where learning and continued growth is valued and supported.
Our Environment
Rapid technological change and continued growth and expansion in the traditional publishing industries in a time of declining budgets require the library to compose ever more creative planning strategies. This environment more than ever requires that we maintain the delicate equilibrium between providing for our users’ immediate information needs and that of preserving access to past and present knowledge resources. At the same time we must support the university’s expanding research and teaching requirements while remaining mindful of the needs of our newest undergraduate student. To do this we must exploit the latest technologies and serve as a catalyst and collaborator in instructing in their best use. As leaders in the use of information technologies we will work with other campus partners and with our various consortia to build and provide the most appropriate resources and services.