Mission and Vision Statement
Our Vision
We envision the Stewart Library as the intellectual commons of Weber State University, where we empower our pluralistic communities through access to information and knowledge.
Our Mission
The Stewart Library is central to Weber State University's educational mission. We provide flexible spaces, dedicated service, personalized instruction, and unfettered access to information. We recognize our membership in multiple, pluralistic communities. We listen to, collaborate with, and invest in those communities in order to promote lifelong learning, advance knowledge, and empower people.
GOAL ONE: ACCESS, RETENTION, AND COMPLETION
Make substantial contributions to the WSU access, retention, and completion goals through affordability initiatives, student support services, and responsive, student-centered instructional practices.
Outcomes:
- Increase the adoption of OER and other no- and low-cost course materials by 10% annually.
- By the end of FY2025, develop and implement a plan to assess the impact of OER/course materials and technology lending initiatives on student success.
- By the end of FY2026 create an information literacy (IL) strategic plan that addresses the scaffolding of IL instruction across the curriculum.
- By the end of FY2027, establish peer learning and other specialized student supports in composition and other key general education, developmental, and gateway courses.
Strategies:
- Promote affordability by providing access to information, course materials, and technology resources that our communities need, at no cost to them.
- Promote affordability by playing a leadership role in Open Educational Resources initiatives on campus.
- Align the information literacy (IL) curriculum and instructional model to integrate IL learning across the curriculum and ensure that first-year students have access to an effective introduction to IL as part of general education.
- Work with campus partners to provide intentional, specialized, and coordinated programs, classes and services for students, especially for populations of interest identified in the WSU strategic plan, to address completion gaps.
- Align resources and staffing so that library staff and faculty can support campus-wide efforts to address completion gaps.
GOAL TWO: PERSONAL CONNECTIONS AND ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE
Enhance student connection to the WSU community and promote high impact educational experiences through personalized research help and instruction, student employment, and library programming, service, and spaces.
Outcomes:
- Engagement with the library, as measured by building use, in-person and virtual service use, in-person and virtual program attendance, and other forms of engagement (internships, volunteering, etc.) will increase by 2% per year.
- The percentage of in-depth research consultations with students will increase by 5% per year.
- The percentage of in-depth curricular or research consultations with non-library faculty will increase by 5% per year.
- The percentage of students who receive specialized information instruction in their majors will increase by 5% per year.
- By the end of FY2026, complete an assessment of student safety and belonging in the library. By the end of FY2028, address areas of concerns and assess for improvement.
Strategies:
- Align the information literacy curriculum and instructional model to promote greater connection and engagement with library faculty and staff across the WSU curriculum.
- Provide High Impact Educational Experiences (HIEE) through student employment in the library.
- Develop peer learning models to increase student engagement with library services and academic support.
- Develop sustained relationships with student groups and campus partners based on respect and empowerment in order to strengthen a sense of connection and belonging in the library.
- Expand library programming for students to create more opportunities for engagement and belonging.
GOAL THREE: COMMUNITY ANCHOR MISSION
Contribute to the well-being and strength of the campus and local communities in which we are embedded.
Outcomes:
- The library will establish and/or deepen one community-based partnership annually, as measured by documented engagement through meetings, convening, and/or formal programming.
- By the end of FY2028, Special Collections and University Archives will have increased the number of collections, including oral histories, documenting traditionally underrepresented populations, by 20%.
Strategies:
- Leverage library collections, especially Special Collections and University Archives, to create opportunities for community engagement and connection.
- Foster relationships with underrepresented communities in order to strengthen Special Collections and University Archives collections and programming.
- Develop partnerships with faculty and staff participating in community-engaged learning and research in order to provide library support as part of their efforts to address social, cultural, economic and environmental challenges facing our communities, including the East Central Neighborhood of Ogden.