Vision and Mission Statement

Vision

Rhodes University Library aims to be an excellent internationally-respected academic library through the provision of ready access to information resources, and by aiding in equipping people for lifelong learning. It is committed to quality user-focused service, fairness, innovation, professional integrity and social responsibility.

Mission

To support its vision, the Library aims to:

• meet the information needs of the university students and staff members, to support and enhance high standards of teaching, research and scholarship, and thereafter support the needs of the wider community;
• provide ready access to information through effective management of its resources;

• implement strategies to foster optimal use of its information resources;

• provide a personalised, nondiscriminatory, user-friendly and high quality information service;

• employ library staff who are skilled, proactive, and who display a commitment to realising Rhodes University Library's mission.

In achieving its mission, the Library undertakes to:

• promote its services to the University community;

• create and maintain effective communication with students and staff;

• be sensitive to its users' different information needs and varying levels of information literacy skills, and contribute to the development of the users' abilities to retrieve, analyse, evaluate and organise information;

• make effective use of reliable contemporary technologies;

• promote access to onsite and remote information resources;

• utilise effectively its Collection Development Policy in the provision of information resources;

• manage efficiently the library collection, including the curation, housing, monitoring and evaluation thereof;

• provide an accurate, comprehensive and user-friendly in-house electronic information organisation and retrieval system and ensure integrity of all data;

• co-operate with other libraries regionally, nationally and internationally, to encourage resource sharing;

• create an environment conducive to research and study, including adequate access to the Online Public Access Catalogue (OPAC), study areas, library resources and library staff;

• foster a culture of service in the library staff and encourage the development of good interpersonal and communication skills;

• empower library staff to maximise their skills and abilities;

• assist the local community's libraries where possible in enhancing their capacity to meet the community's information needs;

• engage in ongoing evaluation of its services to promote quality assurance.

Approved by Senate on 8 December 2000