During the summer of 2016, the University Library formed three strategic planning task forces around the themes of Content, Student Success and the Research Life Cycle. Over the course of the fall, the three task forces completed and submitted their reports for review. The Library’s administrative team, through iterative conversations with the task forces, the Library Advisory Council and the library faculty, developed a document which gathered recommendations and presents a set of priorities, or intentions, for the next few years. They align the Library’s work with the mission and goals of Georgia State’s strategic plan.
Strategic Intentions, 2017-2021
Student Success
The University Library will partner with faculty to develop students’ information and data fluency. Students will graduate with the ability to find, critically examine and create information resources for the workplace and in their day-to-day lives.
- Instruction. Use pedagogical best practices to deliver scalable information, data and technology instruction that is integrated into the curriculum.
- Finding information. Help students find the information resources they need for success.
- Access to technology. Connect students with technology that meets their needs while also providing exposure to emerging technologies.
Research Life Cycle
The University Library will share its expertise in data and information resources in support of faculty, graduate students and undergraduates throughout the research life cycle.
- Support innovation. Build our capacities to support data services and digital scholarship.
- Information expertise. Provide the expertise in information discovery and management required of a research university.
- Graduate student support. Develop a cutting-edge approach to academic library support of graduate students.
- Open strategy. Articulate our strategy and support infrastructure that facilitates the open sharing of scholarship, data, and educational materials.
- Promoting research. Provide a suite of services to faculty which promotes their research accomplishments and facilitates transdisciplinary conversations.
Content
The University Library will be the trusted provider of scholarly information, including published scholarship and research data.
- Collections. Develop, manage and provide access to collections in support of teaching, learning and research.
- Special Collections & Archives. Develop unique special collections that promote scholarship, support the curriculum and bring distinction to the university.
- Scholarship. Manage, preserve, and make available the scholarship produced at Georgia State.
Community Engagement
The University Library will engage with the larger community through special collections, programming, and promotion of faculty and student research.
- Marketing. Develop and utilize an integrated marketing strategy to build the Library brand in the community.
- Events. Host lectures and presentations, on campus and in the community, that promote Georgia State scholarship and highlight the role of the Library.
- School partnerships. Increase partnerships with local school districts to develop student research skills and improve the educational pipeline in the region.
- Promote scholarship. Provide and support online tools that promote the research accomplishments at Georgia State.
Culture
The University Library will be a stimulating and supportive learning organization, with a diverse and engaged team.
- Development. Encourage cross-training, deep-dives, temporary assignments and other initiatives to facilitate and support employee development and career exploration.
- Innovation. Encourage and recognize employee innovation and experimentation.
- Diversity. Develop and/or participate in programs that increase the diversity of our team.
Space
The University Library will create dynamic physical and virtual spaces in support of its strategic priorities.
- Master plan. Develop a facilities master plan to set priorities for library space planning and to facilitate donor engagement.
- Virtual space. Through best practices, user engagement and ongoing assessment, optimize the library website and discovery systems.
- Exhibits. Highlight special collections and digitized content through improved virtual and physical exhibits.