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The Mission Statement Task Force chair, Mary Scanlon, shared the group’s report at the May Administrative Council meeting. The report consisted of the Task Force’s revised and updated mission and values statement for ZSR. The Council had some questions and suggestions and the Task Force updated their draft, which is shared below.
Mission:
Our mission at the Z. Smith Reynolds Library is to promote intellectual inquiry; acquire, create, and preserve curated resources; and provide an inspiring and inclusive learning environment.
Values:
In pursuit of our mission, we value:
- Academic freedom
- Credibility, authority, and reliability
- Diversity and inclusion
- Innovation
- Instruction
- Integrity and mutual respect
- Partnerships with other academic units
- Research
- Unparalleled service
Vision:
In fulfillment of our mission, we aspire to:
- Incorporate innovation into our thought processes and choices
- Foster social and intellectual engagement
- Anticipate and prepare for change
- Contribute to the evolving body of knowledge in librarianship
We provide leadership and support within the University as it “seeks to be a place where a vibrant and diverse learning community weds knowledge, experiences and service that lift the human spirit.”
May 2017
Before asking the Administrative Council to adopt the statement, I would like to offer another round of opportunities for comment. Please feel free to publicly comment on this blog post or email me directly. I will also put the statement on the agendas for the next Librarian’s Assembly meeting and ZSR Staff meeting.
I grateful for the timely and thoughtful work of the Task Force — Renee Berry, Carol Cramer, James Harper, Molly Keener, Tim Mitchell and Mary Scanlon (Chair).
3 Comments on ‘ZSR Mission Statement Update’
This is excellent! Thanks to everyone involved!
Thank you, task force, and all who contributed to crafting the statement!
I received the following alternate statement to the one created by task force:
Mission (What we do, why we exist)
The mission of the Z. Smith Reynolds Library is to inspire learning, advance knowledge, and preserve the scholarship, creativity, and history of Wake Forest University.
Vision (Why we do what we do, what we hope to make possible)
We work to make possible a vibrant, inclusive community of learning that asks questions fearlessly, pursues truth relentlessly, and shares knowledge and culture generously.
Values/Aspirational Qualities (How we do what we do)
Collegiality: We are energized by creative partnerships both within and without the library and the institution. We work together in pursuit of our mission and vision.
Community: The library is the spiritual center of the university. We have a responsibility to create welcoming, accessible, and inclusive spaces and services for all users.
Curiosity: There is no question too small to explore. We provide useful, usable tools and collections that inspire curiosity, engagement, and self-directed learning.
Delight: Ours is a library that revels in delighting its users. We strive to continually provide our community with truly delightful experiences, spaces, and services.
Generosity: We are expert professionals with abundant skills, knowledge, and expertise. We each give of these things freely, taking seriously our role in helping our students, faculty, staff, and colleagues pursue their goals.
Openness: Technology has eliminated barriers to sharing knowledge, culture, and innovation. We inspire and equip our community to share openly and responsibly, and we demonstrate our commitment by sharing our own work in the same way.
Possibility: There is no vision too large to take on. We seek innovative, sustainable solutions to even the trickiest teaching, learning, and research problems faced by our community.