Cheng Library: Mission, Vision, Goals

Mission

The David and Lorraine Cheng Library is the academic information center of William Paterson University. The Library advances the University's mission of promoting student success, academic excellence, and community outreach and upholds its values of diversity and equity. To further this mission, the Library seeks to acquire, organize and provide access to scholarly materials in traditional and emergent media, to support the educational programs of the University, to assist and instruct in the use of information resources, to provide a balanced and diverse collection, and to offer the broadest possible access to information wherever available. The Library also collects, organizes and preserves selected documents and artifacts pertaining to the history of the University. The Library staff is dedicated to the world of learning and is committed to continued personal and professional growth. The staff participates widely in campus life and governance and actively collaborates with the teaching faculty and other staff to advance the University's mission. The Library promotes inquiry in an intellectually open atmosphere and resists all efforts at censorship. (Revised and approved: February 18, 2005).

Vision

The William Paterson University community views the library as an integral partner in the University's educational program and works with the Library staff in a dynamic relationship. The Library is respected for its leadership in promoting information literacy and its support of excellence in teaching, research, and creative achievement. As a result of the Library's commitment to serving and supporting the community's information needs, the students, faculty and staff of William Paterson University:

• Are information literate. Utilizing the best of the new technologies, librarians and faculty work to implement innovative and challenging instructional programs designed to impart essential information skills for lifelong learning.


• Have access to an increasing number of electronic and print resources that represent diverse perspectives on controversial subjects and encourage an atmosphere of free inquiry and vigorous debate.


• Enjoy a welcoming environment for individual and collaborative learning and utilize Library facilities - both physical and virtual - to gain access to collections and services.


• Benefit from the Library's existing partnerships and new cooperative relationships with other institutions that share its values and commitments.

Reaffirmed: February, 2005

Cheng Library Goals

Preamble: The vision, mission and goal statements of the David and Lorraine Cheng Library set forth the philosophical and service principles that guide its professional contributions to the University and beyond.

Planning, Assessment, and Outcomes Assessment

• Goal 1: To conduct library self-study and assessment for continuous improvement.

Services

• Goal 2: To provide library services supporting users' information and research needs at basic and advanced levels.
• Goal 3: To provide users with accurate and timely responses to their information and research needs.
• Goal 4: To offer programs and services to meet the information and research needs of special groups of users.

Instruction

• Goal 5: To promote information literacy and lifelong learning through services and programs.

Resources

• Goal 6: To select, acquire, organize, maintain and make available library information resources supporting the University's curriculum and, where possible, faculty research.
• Goal 7: To adopt information technology that advances learning and research.
• Goal 8: To acquire, organize and preserve documents and memorabilia related to the history of the University.

Access

• Goal 9: To maximize user access to library information resources.

Staff

• Goal 10: To develop and support staff to meet the present and future information and research needs of the University's varied learning communities.

Facilities

• Goal 11: To provide and maintain the optimum space, equipment and environment for library and library-related activities.

Communication and Cooperation

• Goal 12: To communicate effectively with all units of the University community, the region and relevant scholarly communities concerning library services and activities.
• Goal 13: To provide leadership in professional, community outreach and collaborative opportunities.

Budget

• Goal 14: To develop strategies and pursue opportunities for maximizing financial support for library information resources.