Mission statement, aims and objectives
Mission statement
The purpose of the Library is to support teaching, learning and research in the University, by developing and promoting access to information resources; and also to contribute to the wider world of scholarship and to the transfer of knowledge, by collaborating and co-operating with other organisations.
Aims
Planning space effectively
Acknowledging the situation of our existing buildings, formulating a long-term and holistic strategy for extending and remodelling our accommodation, whilst achieving any improvements to our buildings and environment possible in the meantime.
Exploiting IT effectively
Utilising to the full our library management system’s capabilities to integrate and streamline processes, promote and enhance collections, and improve and develop services (eg self service). Taking advantage of the increasing range of digital information resources available for the provision of the most appropriate information environment, with the best value mix of access and holdings.
Collaboration and co-operation
Participating in providing for local, regional, national and international needs in library and information resources and services. Also contributing to scholarship and knowledge transfer generally. Achieving this via collaborative relationships with other University of Reading services and via external consortia and collaborative access schemes (UKRR (the UK Research Reserve), SCONUL Access, M25 Consortium, TV-Inspire), and being open to other cooperative possibilities.
Managing effectively
Ensuring that we have effective and efficient administrative systems, procedures and policies for managing Library personnel, finance, buildings, equipment and projects. And that these systems and procedures interface with others in the University to maximum effect and with minimum duplication of effort.
User-focused services and collections
Managing and developing our collections, services and facilities through consultation, liaison and benchmarking, and encouraging exploitation of resources through faculty/school awareness and information skills programmes and reference and enquiry services.
Staff training and development
Maintaining and developing Library staff knowledge and skills by using our Staff Development Hour together with other internal and external programmes of organised training and individual learning, and giving a high priority to management development, team working, IT skills and customer care.
Current objectives/projects
These strategic aims can be translated into a series of current projects and practical tasks for the Library. A copy of the Project list is available from the Library Office, email library-office@reading.ac.uk. Achievement of these projects moves the Library forward in its strategic aims.
Sections of the Library can also relate their own operations to these strategic aims when developing aims and objectives for their day to day activities and other projects.
Aims and objectives are formulated for the following Sections and are reviewed regularly. These can be obtained on request from the Library Office, email library-office@reading.ac.uk.
- Acquisitions
- Administration
- Attendants
- Cataloguing and Preparations
- Liaison teams/subject floors
- Special Collections
- Systems
- User Services
The Librarian August 2007