Mission
The mission of the Appalachian State University Library is to assist those who pursue knowledge.
Vision
The Appalachian State University Library is a dynamic partner in the campus and distance learning communities, dedicated to the provision of full and equal access to information and the preservation of our intellectual and cultural heritage. Our collections, portals to information and text, services, and instruction contribute to the campus missions of learning, scholarship, engagement, and effectiveness. Our vision is to broaden the learning experience, to encourage creativity and scholarship at all levels, to deepen the campus engagement with the community and world, and to develop an effective organization that can meet current and future information needs. These areas of learning, scholarship, engagement, and effectiveness are our four strategic directions:
Learning
Twenty-first century college graduates should be able to successfully navigate a world of media, information, and technology, and apply their learning in creative and thoughtful ways. The Library uses advanced pedagogical methods and practices to enable students to become active participants in the learning process by helping them think critically and creatively, communicate well, and employ effective strategies to collect and interpret information.
Scholarship
Scholarship and creative work are key components of the Library's mission. We collaborate with others to raise the research profile of the campus and to support the highest level of faculty, staff, and student scholarship and creativity. We also produce research that adds to the body of knowledge created at Appalachian.
Engagement
The Library offers a holistic program, touching the intellectual, cultural, social, and economic interests of the individual. We move beyond traditional library services, reaching out to the campus community and beyond to enhance education in the broadest sense. We influence and effect change through diverse service initiatives and through collaboration with individuals and organizations with mutual interests.
Effectiveness
An effective organizational culture is characterized by timely and inclusive communication, clear and reasonable expectations, flexibility, and support of riskâ€taking and innovation. A systematic plan of assessment helps focus efforts on effective library services that positively impact teaching and learning, scholarship, and engagement at Appalachian.
