Heard Library: Mission Statement

Library Mission Statement
Jean and Alexander Heard Library
Vanderbilt University

The Library’s unique and vital role is to further the University’s mission of generating and disseminating knowledge through teaching, learning, research, and service. The Library is an essential academic center that serves as a place of discovery, exchange, and advancement of ideas through its commitment to accessing new scholarship and archiving accumulated knowledge.

Staff are dedicated to offering the highest level of service in responding to the information needs of its diverse users and in helping users understand and effectively use new and traditional forms of information delivery.

The first priority of the Library is to provide these services to Vanderbilt faculty and students through active outreach across the campus. Secondarily, the Library is a resource for the larger academic and scholarly community through its participation in cooperative and collaborative local, regional, and national partnerships.

Statement of Goals

To support the teaching, research, and service missions of the University by developing strong information resources in book, manuscript, archival, electronic and other formats.
To select, organize, and provide broad and timely access to information resources wherever and whenever they are needed.
To promote the use of Vanderbilt library collections and other information resources by creating an environment that encourages learning through effective teaching strategies and excellent service.
To preserve library materials and ensure their availability to current and future scholars.
To develop and maintain appropriate physical and technological infrastructures conducive to learning.
To recruit, hire, train and retain qualified staff who are committed to service, innovation, and communication. Additionally, to foster a supportive staff community which rewards innovation, encourages risk-taking, and accepts failure as a part of growth and exploration.
To both initiate and participate in creative partnerships with local, state, and national agencies that will make accessible to the larger community the unique resources of this library and enhance access by Vanderbilt faculty and students to other information resources.

November 1996

[ Heard Library Homepage | Vanderbilt University | ACORN ]

Send comments to webmaster@library.vanderbilt.edu
Last updated 5/9/97