F&M College Library

Collection Policies

Our Misson

The College Library staff fosters a community of lifelong learners, critical thinkers, and engaged citizens. We offer access to high quality resources, development of information literacy skills, and personal support for the academic endeavors of our students, faculty, and professional staff. We advance academic excellence in learning, teaching and research by connecting people, scholarly resources and technology in comfortable and collaborative environments designed to support
student success, personal growth and thoughtful inquiry in the pursuit of a liberal arts education.

Our Vision

The College Library is a leader of intellectual activity on campus, connecting people and resources in order to innovate and create knowledge. We are advocates for our users’ needs and proactively pursue initiatives that we are uniquely positioned to grow as a leading liberal arts college library. Our expertise in library services, digitization, information literacy and scholarly communication combined with a capacity to imagine co-located services puts us at the forefront of contributing
to student success. We preserve the past, take action in the present and embrace the future.

Our Strategic Areas

1. Enhance User Experiences and Develop Instructional Best Practices

2. Curate Scholarly Content and Provide Robust Access

3. Invest in and Grow Our Digital Initiatives

4. Develop Our Organization and Empower Employees

5. Grow Collaborative Outreach and Expand Advocacy

6. Adapt Spaces and Facilities to Meet Evolving Needs

 

Our Commitments and Values

With civility and respect, we collaborate with students, faculty and professional staff to further the College’s goals, and partner with our communities to encourage creative activity, scholarly engagement and academic integrity. As individuals and in groups, we take responsibility for fulfilling our mission, pursuing our vision and responding to a rapidly changing academic and higher education landscape.

The College Library:

  • Recognizes the strength and value in the diversity of our students, faculty and staff
  • Asks our communities and colleagues for input and welcomes constructive feedback
  • Acquires, preserves and provides access to scholarly, diverse collections
  • Enables the discovery of knowledge in all forms
  • Teaches the critical evaluation and use of information
  • Develops welcoming and creative services for our user communities
  • Provides safe, useful and adaptable environments for individual and group work
  • Evolves personnel and positions to be responsive to user needs
  • Advocates for the use of open educational resources and open access to scholarship
  • Applies best practices and professional standards to inform decision-making
  • Approaches our work with a growth mindset and encourages informed experimentation