The University of Texas Libraries
Mission and Goals 2008-2010
Mission
The University of Texas Libraries collects, organizes, preserves, and provides access to recorded knowledge and human creativity in support of the teaching and research mission of the University.
Vision
The University of Texas Libraries is the preeminent public university library in the country, providing
- campus information resources (the raw materials of University research and learning) that sustain the intellectual environment required to be a preeminent research institution;
- an evolving technology environment with effective tools and services for the discovery and delivery of information to campus scholars and the citizenry alike;
- an inviting and comfortable space for individual or group study and learning, equipped with appropriate infrastructure;
- the University community with skills to master information strategies appropriate to the classroom, laboratory, and lifelong learning;
- staff expertise that strengthens state and national collaborations focused on improving the preservation and dissemination of scholarship and creative works; and
- a talented and diverse staff that fully embraces University values.
Goals
Create Collections that Foster Campus Research and Learning
Build on generations of investments in campus information resources to
- Enable recruitment of the best scholars and serve the interests of researchers throughout the world.
- Support new intellectual endeavors and degree programs (such as health sciences and nanotechnology).
Expand partnerships with other UT System institutions
- Build the deep, rich collections that advance their instructional and research missions through programs such as the Academic Library Collections Enhancement Program (ALCEP) and the UT System Digital Library.
2008-2009 Key Priorities
- Begin process of integrating e-books into approval plan strategies.
- Begin process of integrating shelf-ready OCLC PromptCat services into approval plan strategies.
- Implement the Human Rights initiative, with special focus on archiving unique and fragile digital resources.
Transform the Tools of Scholarly Research
Improve discovery of scholarly information
- Leverage existing technologies and expertise, such as Google Scholar and Blackboard.
- Utilize new tools and digital formats, including Web 2.0 technologies.
- Meet changing user behaviors and capture efficiencies through rethinking work processes.
- Embrace new publishing trends, including electronic books and journals, as well as emerging business models, including pay-per-view and micropayments.
2008-2009 Key Priorities
- Implement a first version of WorldCat Local.
- Begin process of integrating e-books into approval plan strategies.
- Begin process of integrating shelf-ready OCLC PromptCat services into approval plan strategies.
- Improve library web inquiry: Create a search box with tabs on the front page of the Web site as a starting point for students looking for articles/books/databases.
- Implement Verde electronic resource management system.
Integrate Support for Research Skills and Critical Thinking into the New Core Curriculum
- Refocus library instruction programming and resources on integrating research and critical inquiry outcomes into the revised curriculum.
- Partner with Undergraduate Studies to implement sustainable methods for supporting signature courses and seminars within the new core.
2008-2009 Key Priorities
- Work with the Dean of Undergraduate Services to integrate information literacy/critical inquiry into the new core curriculum as an essential student skill set.
- Implement "Train the Teacher" approach for Rhetoric 306 as a means for focusing available library staff resources.
Partner with Google, Texas institutions, and international research initiatives
- Make more than one million books from University collections available over the Web through projects such as the Google collaboration comprised of the world’s preeminent research libraries.
- Establish a UT Austin institutional repository within the framework of the Texas Digital Library.
- Preserve web-only publishing output in areas of collection strength through the Archive-It project.
2008-2009 Key Priorities
- Implement initiative to harvest, archive and disclose rare and fragile human rights resources.
- Launch UT Institutional Repository for faculty and staff.
- Develop a business model to sustain the growth of the Texas Digital Library.
Build Library Spaces Responsive to the Social Dimensions of Learning and Research
- Maintain on-campus facilities that are up-to-date and responsive to student learning behaviors.
- Construct cost-effective high density storage facilities in order to retain critical materials on campus and place needed but lesser used scholarly materials in high-density storage, allowing re-allocation of existing campus space.
- Recognize major gift opportunities through the capital campaign and potential naming of key spaces such as PCL, Life Sciences, Architecture, and Fine Arts libraries.
2008-2009 Key Priorities
- Complete the Life Sciences Library teaching spaces in Fall 2008 for use in the Freshman Initiative program at UT.
- Prepare for occupancy of Library Storage Facility 2.
- Ready launch of $20,000,000 Capital Campaign.
- Relocate Audio/Visual library to Fine Arts Library; integrate Fine Arts Visual Resources Collection into FAL.
- Renovate the Benson Latin American Collection mezzanine, adding electrical circuits for student use.
- Change book sale process from manual to electronic format with online vendor input.
- Seek funding for Chemistry Library expansion and Welch Hall courtyard renovation project.
- Continue to improve computing infrastructure to support ongoing Libraries activities; upgrade public workstations.
Invest in the Requisite Talent and Expertise Needed for a Preeminent Research Library
- Develop a staff with strong management skills, who are aware of trends in the information technologies, and who have the ability to provide leadership in the new information environment.
- Develop and recruit a staff with the bibliographic and technical skills and knowledge required in a complex research library.
- Foster a staff committed to providing the highest quality services.
2008-2009 Key Priorities
- Fill major personnel vacancies at BLAC and in User Services.
- Create organizational structure and recruit staff needed to support the human rights initiative.
- Create funded GRA positions to be awarded in concert with the iSchool as part of the recruitment process.
- Recruit a core humanities bibliographer and/or cataloger with language skills in German and related areas in order to retain the expertise needed to build the library for the future.
- Reassess (vacant) Gifts Coordinator roles and responsibilities.
- Fill vacant Tech Services Asst. Dept. Head with both serial and monographic cataloging experience.
- Review and fill other vacated staff positions as deemed appropriate.
