University Library Strategic Plan: 2019-2024

Mission Statement

The University Library supports student success by providing effective and equitable access to resources, information, and data to students, faculty, and staff in support of the University’s instruction, research, and public service goals; by creating a welcoming and innovative learning environment where information can be explored and assimilated into knowledge; and by responding to the need of the University community to be information literate and lifelong learners. We do this by:

Providing collections, services, and support for research and scholarly communication to sustain the university's mission;
Promoting free inquiry, critical thinking, and the exchange of ideas;
Serving as the intellectual, social, and technological center of the university community through the design of physical and virtual environments that incorporate innovative technologies and services; and
Creating a workplace that recruits and retains a highly skilled and engaged staff.

Vision Statement

The University Library will be the center of inspiration, discovery, creativity, and collaboration - indispensable to learning, teaching, scholarship and life-long learning.

Organizational Values

The Library supports the University's core values.

Academic Excellence – We demonstrate academic quality, relevance, and excellence through our teaching, learning, scholarship, and creative activities with student centered faculty in an evidence-based culture.
Experiential Learning – Our polytechnic identity fosters an integrative approach to education through collaboration, discovery, learn-by-doing, and innovation. Our approach encourages reflection, informed risk-taking, and continuous learning.
Student Learning and Success – We are deeply committed to educational experiences and supportive services that engage our students, enhance personal well-being and growth, provide career opportunities, and foster ethical citizenship.
Inclusivity – Our diversity across multiple dimensions reflects and enhances our community. We are welcoming and respectful, and we value diversity.
Community Engagement – We nurture mutually beneficial and meaningful relationships with community partners and stakeholders.
Social and Environmental Responsibility – As global citizens, our individual and collective actions reflect our commitment to one another, society, and the environment.

Library's Strategic Initiatives and Goals

The Library Strategic Plan is built on goals that support Cal Poly Pomona's five strategic initiatives. In the past, the Library articulated its own initiatives which were specific to the world of librarianship and addressed Library concerns. We connected these initiatives to the campus plan by including information in our strategic plan that showed the alignment of each plan with the other. For this planning cycle, the Library used the campus' five strategic initiatives as the foundation for the development of our goals. Therefore, there was no need for the additional step of describing where the alignment occurred. This is also a straight forward approach to documenting how the Library is specifically participating in and supporting the strategic initiatives of the campus.

Initiative 1. Deliver quality programs that promote integrative learning, discovery, and creativity

The Library will support this initiative with the following goals that deal with Library resources, accessibility, technology, Library spaces, and Library services:

Goal 1.1. Information resources provided by the Library on behalf of the campus community will facilitate innovative, student-centered teaching and learning.
- Goal 1.1.a. Evaluate and improve overall collection management, emphasizing availability and accessibility of materials, and a sustainable collection budget that is in sync with campus community growth and the rising inflation rate.
- Goal 1.1.b. Continue to develop the collection in an array of formats to support the curriculum.
- Goal 1.1.c. Continue to support subscriptions to databases and the acquisition of digital\ resources that can be accessed online by the campus community.
- Goal 1.1.d. Continue to support the technical needs of students and faculty through the acquisition and maintenance of computers and other equipment.
- Goal 1.1.e. Develop archival and digital collections to meet the teaching and research needs of students, faculty, and the greater scholarly community.
- Goal 1.1.f. Continue to showcase Library collections to connect our users with ideas and materials from across the disciplines.
Goal 1.2. Continue to develop the Knowledge Center in order to provide an integrated center for research and collaboration.
Goal 1.3. Utilize ALMA Sushi to provide cost per use data for data-driven analysis and decisions making.
Goal 1.4. Enhance the online user experience based on data gathered through usability testing, focus groups, surveys, and other user-centered analysis mechanisms.
Goal 1.5. Continue to support multi-modal learning and teaching efforts within the Library (One Button Studio, Maker Studio, web resource management such as databases and site navigation).
Goal 1.6. Increase usage and understanding of Bronco Scholar, which exists to enhance student engagement in research.
Goal 1.7. Not only comply with accessibility and inclusivity principles (both in digital and physical Library spaces) but champion efforts to make our resources and services available to all and with few barriers.
Goal 1.8. Develop intentionally designed physical spaces that adapt to users' diverse needs, stimulate collaboration and knowledge creation, and support student success and engagement.

Initiative 2. Enhance student learning, development, and success

The services that the Library provide are essential to the success of our students and to the overall excellence of the University. Building upon our core services, we will intensify our efforts to support intellectual curiosity and to remove any existing or potential barriers to information discovery and delivery.

Goal 2.1. Continue to work with faculty on integrating Information Literacy into the university curriculum.
Goal 2.2. Improve the exposure and promotion of our collections, spaces, and services to the student body.
Goal 2.3. Increase our capacity to deliver, evaluate, and improve Library services.
Goal 2.4. Continue to expand and create teaching and learning programs and resources that educate our users in the use of Library resources at point of need.
Goal 2.5. Improve services and user satisfaction at all points of contact.
Goal 2.6. Develop programs to assist faculty in their research efforts and assist faculty research collaborations with students.
Goal 2.7. Provide a centralized space for research and knowledge acquisition as a commitment to open access, and to the preservation of campus research and heritage.
Goal 2.8. After receiving the necessary training, librarians will serve as academic advisors for undeclared students.
Goal 2.9. Investigate ways to support student parents.

Initiative 3. Prepare our students for the future of work and civic engagement

The Library recognizes the importance of providing support for students while they are pursuing their degree as well as after graduation. We are committed to providing on-going opportunities for lifelong learning skills, for civic engagement, and for connections with alumni, the community, and industry leaders.

Goal 3.1. Investigate the possibility of providing access to databases to our alumni.
Goal 3.2. Develop Library programs and online learning aids to provide students with applicable skills to enhance their careers.
Goal 3.3. Continue to host Library interns who earn academic credit.
Goal 3.4. Continue to look for opportunities to collaborate with campus and community partners, such as the Career Center, Cultural Centers, Student Clubs, and LA County Libraries.
Goal 3.5. Support and develop technology-based initiatives that meet user needs and provides work-related skills such as the Career Center, One Button Studio, the Maker Studio and an equipment checkout program.

Initiative 4. Strengthen our economic vitality and impact

Promote and develop support for the Library's collections and services by engaging the university and wider communities through fundraising, partnerships, publications, exhibitions, and events.

Goal 4.1. Develop fundraising efforts to cultivate donor relationships and increase funding for the Library.
Goal 4.2. Continue to utilize the Outreach Committee to develop programs to raise the university community's awareness of the Library's services, events, spaces, and resources.
Goal 4.3. Make various, cutting-edge technologies available for students and faculty to use with very low barriers to entry (e.g. 3D printing, advanced software).
Goal 4.4. Offer workshops and trainings to prepare users for the greater information environment.

Initiative 5. Advance organizational development and employee excellence

A constantly growing and evolving academic environment requires a high-caliber, engaged, and fulfilled Library staff that can both adapt to changes and create and advocate for changes it deems critical to the University's and the Library's success. The Library depends upon a vibrant work culture, one that encourages collaboration, embraces change, and respects a diversity of staff identities, thoughts, and actions. This is necessary to the Library's continued success in support of curricular and non-curricular needs of the University and community.

Goal 5.1. Hire and retain the necessary number of librarians and staff to support the learning, teaching, and scholarship services offered by the Library in support of CPP's curriculum.
Goal 5.2. Make the Library a place people want to stay and work at by allowing them to grow and constantly learn. Balance a challenging job with a fulfilling job.
Goal 5.3. Continuing the Library's commitment to recruiting a diverse staff. Employ multiple efforts to ensure a diverse pool of applicants.
Goal 5.4. Ensure that librarians and staff have opportunities to take advantage of various professional development programs, training, and other professional experiences.
Goal 5.5. Develop internal training programs and/or utilizing external programs that will enhance employees' ability to meet job requirements and prepare for advancement in an increasingly technological environment.
Goal 5.6. Developing a Library Employee Recognition program to facilitate communication within the Library and to celebrate the employees' accomplishments.