The mission of Wabash College Lilly Library is to promote the ability to find, evaluate and use information resources in the full exercise of freedom of inquiry that is an integral part of teaching and learning at Wabash.  To meet this mission, the library develops and maintains collections and services that support the mission of Wabash College, fostering, in particular, the information literacy skills that are critical to independent intellectual inquiry and lifelong learning.

Collections

Our primary collection development principle is to acquire and maintain materials, regardless of format, which are appropriate for students doing research related to their studies and for faculty members in preparing their courses.

Our secondary collection development principle is to support faculty scholarship by acquiring, within the resources available, the basic materials needed to conduct research.

Additionally, the library will assess the need for library materials and services to support non-curricular research and recreational use, and will establish priorities for those materials as financial resources are available.

Given these principles, it is the responsibility of the library staff, in conjunction with the faculty:

a) to acquire and maintain a quality collection of materials that meets the needs of the College's curriculum;

b) to provide access to information sources that the library does not own through cooperative arrangements with other educational institutions.

As a selective depository for federal government publications, the library strives to select materials that support the College's curriculum and, more broadly, the needs of the residents of Montgomery County and other citizens of the Seventh Indiana Congressional District.

The Robert T. Ramsay, Jr., Archival Center will acquire and preserve the records of the college, related materials that document its history, and special collections.

Services

Our first priority is to meet the information needs of Wabash students, faculty, and staff.  As a Federal Depository library, we are also obligated to provide access and assistance to the public in using Federal Government Documents.  Secondarily, we also provide some services to these guests:  alumni of the College; family members of Wabash students, faculty, and staff; residents of Montgomery County; and students, faculty, and staff from other PALNI institutions.

The reference and electronic resources librarian will consult with faculty colleagues to develop and implement a reference and  instruction program that will foster students’ information literacy so they may accomplish their academic goals and have the necessary library skills to support lifelong learning.

The staff in Archives, Government Documents, and the Media Center will provide user services appropriate to the materials in their areas.

The catalog librarian, with the assistance of other library staff, will create bibliographic records in accordance with cataloging standards for materials in all formats in the Wabash collection.  Furthermore, we will establish and maintain electronic links to off-campus sources so that users can easily identify materials pertinent to their needs.

The library staff will maintain user policies and procedures for circulation of items from the general collection, interlibrary loan, media, and archives which allow access for users, while protecting the physical conditions of these collections.

The library staff will maintain communication with the College community in order to promote understanding of library policies and programs, to understand the needs of our users, and to facilitate awareness of developments in library collections and services which have future implications for the library’s continued effective support of the curriculum.

Ensuring Collections and Services

We believe that the library’s success depends on hiring and retaining highly qualified and motivated staff.  Development opportunities will be provided so that staff may become even more effective contributors to the Library's mission.

The head librarian, in concert with library staff colleagues and with advice from the faculty and students, will propose a budget that is sufficient to meet the mission of the library in support of the academic program and will administer the funds allocated for the maximum benefit of the College’s educational program.  Furthermore, the head librarian will work with the adminstration to secure additional sources of support for the library’s mission.

The head librarian will ensure that facilities of the library are adequate to house and preserve the collections and to allow both users and staff to work productively.

Assessment and Review

A biennial review of this mission statement and current policies supporting the statement will be conducted by the head librarian with the assistance of the library staff.

The library staff  will conduct periodic assessments of the quality of the collections and services available.