Strategic Plan

The Strategic Plan is also available as a PDF document.

Mount Saint Vincent University Library Vision

As a preferred centre for learning, the Mount Saint Vincent University Library will provide barrier-free physical and virtual environments to support reading and reflection, research, independent thinking, and the exploration and exchange of ideas. The Library will be a leader in the provision of services, enabling technologies and access to collections to facilitate high achievement in teaching, learning and research activities. We will promote a culture of life-long learning and innovation among both users and staff.

Mission Statement

The Mount Saint Vincent University Library is a service-oriented research centre committed to providing the highest level of support for, and encouragement of, learning, teaching, research, the production of knowledge, and scholarly communication.

We value:

•  cooperative and consortial partnerships which benefit the Mount community and beyond
•  excellent user-centered service and continuous improvement
•  inclusiveness, diversity and respect for the individual
•  open access to information
•  intellectual freedom and critical inquiry
•  accountability and professionalism
•  creativity, engagement, collaboration, and innovation

Mount Saint Vincent University Library Goals & Objectives

1. Staff: provide a sufficient number of trained and motivated staff to carry out the mission of the Library
   1. Identify new in-house or inexpensive training opportunities for customer service, new technologies and the provision of basic reference services
   2. Formalize continuous service improvement program
   3. Conduct semi-annual departmental workflow analysis / redesign
   4. Continue flex-time program and improve vacation scheduling capacity
   5. Maintain a commitment to staff cross-training to ensure flexible and timely response to service demands
      

2. Cooperation: achieve economies of scale through internal and external cooperation
   1. Assess CAUL, CRKN, and Novanet consortial participation to maximize benefits; continue to support related initiatives in elected and volunteer roles
   2. Work with Mount departments to deliver consolidated services in the Library when appropriate (further develop ID card / UPass / address updating service and Writing Resource Centre service in Library)
   3. Collaborate with Mount faculty to support student success, faculty development, librarian research through joint programming, course delivery and other initiatives
   4. Expand Outreach programming to include surrounding community members, women’s organizations, cultural groups, Mount alumnae; continue to support Libraries Nova Scotia initiative
   5. Serve as a resource for Mount initiatives such as digitization / records management initiative, transfer of CRC records into Novanet, design of new Mount website
      

3. Collections: acquire and maintain strong collections
   1. Conduct gap analysis for print and electronic sources; consider new models such as rent-to-own for e-books
   2. Develop, launch and promote institutional repository with goal of collecting and disseminating research, archival and cultural content from Mount communities – Graduate Studies, Atlantis, Art Gallery, student societies, teaching materials, research data sets, grey literature, etc.
   3. Create an Open Access Publishing policy and begin awareness campaign
   4. Identify new digitization initiatives based on Archival and MacDonald Room holdings
   5. Expand and promote Liaison Librarian services
      

4. Access: improve access to information and services for students, faculty, staff, community members and sister institutions
   1. Review website usability and interactivity; port to new Content Management System
   2. Further develop LibGuides, online tutorials, other interactive content to enhance resource discovery and to improve the distance learning experience
   3. Explore use of mobile options to deliver content to smart phones etc.
   4. Technological initiatives to enhance access to collections; implement WorldCat Local, port to hosted versions of Link Manager and SingleSearch
   5. Revise ID Card production to increase turn-around time, reduce costs and better serve distance students
      

5. Information Literacy: promote lifelong learning and information literacy competencies
   1. Offer Library course LIBR 2100 twice per calendar year; evaluate course
   2. Promote and expand One-on-One Research appointment service
   3. Evaluate and expand virtual reference services, increase LiveHelp hours
      

6. Space: provide productive, inspiring workspace and workstations for Library users
   1. Continue to develop Learning Commons; flexible use of space
   2. Develop satellite locations for Learning Commons across Campus
   3. Modify space for Library collections to suit changing needs; install more compact shelving

Revised April 28th, 2009