Published: April 2024
Who we are
Mission
We help people find, evaluate, use, and create knowledge to better the world.
Vision
We will be a leader and partner in creating and implementing ideas and services that advance research, teaching, and learning.
Values
- Collaboration and community
- Equity and inclusion
- Learning and growth
- Openness and transparency
- Read more: Statement of values
About the strategic plan
The UC Berkeley Library’s updated strategic plan is designed to:
- Reinvest energy and resources into core Library services that support Berkeley undergraduate students, graduate students, faculty members, and other researchers.
- Confirm and communicate decisions about what we can accomplish — and what we can’t — in the current budget landscape.
- Solidify the Library’s commitment to living up to and proactively acting on our values of diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging for our employees and patrons.
- Identify our aspirations as a university library in alignment with advancements in research, teaching, and learning.
- Read more: About the strategic plan
Goal 1: Stabilize core services to support research, teaching, and learning
Action 1
- Execute the long-term space plan to address users’ evolving needs and fiscal realities; as spaces change, prioritize new opportunities for equitable access and inclusive design.
- Read more: Action progress plan (opens Google Doc)
Action 2
- Conduct a services review to align Library priorities with the goals of the UC Berkeley academic community; develop a sustainable plan for budget, staffing, and infrastructure for core services.
- Read more: Action progress plan (opens Google Doc)
Action 3
- Prioritize core services and staffing when allocating resources and making budget decisions.
- Read more: What are the Library’s core services?
- Read more: Action progress plan (opens Google Doc)
Goal 2: Build an inclusive and adaptive culture
Action 1
- Develop and commit to actions that build trust, transparency, and accountability in the workplace.
- Read more: Action progress plan (opens Google Doc)
Action 2
- Assess hiring practices, and improve recruitment and retention of an engaged and diverse workforce.
- Read more: Action progress plan (opens Google Doc)
Action 3
- Foster an environment that promotes racial justice; work as a community to cultivate a sense of belonging for all, elevating the voices of colleagues from historically marginalized groups.
- Read more: Action progress plan (opens Google Doc)
Goal 3: Improve access to resources
Action 1
- Incorporate equity and inclusion principles into workflows and practices of all collecting areas and collections services units.
- Read more: Action progress plan (opens Google Doc)
Action 2
- Create and preserve digital collections that expand the use of the diverse materials the libraries steward; prioritize accessibility and discoverability of materials that represent historically marginalized communities.
- Read more: Action progress plan (opens Google Doc)
Action 3
- Fulfill research needs by developing collections, and prioritizing collaborative relationships and shared print resources across the University of California system and with peer institutions.
- Read more: Action progress plan (opens Google Doc)
Goal 4: Expand engagement and advocacy
Action 1
- Prioritize communications that highlight the spaces, services, activities, and expertise that only the Library can provide.
- Read more: Action progress plan (opens Google Doc)
Action 2
- Grow funding, and elevate core services when cultivating donor support.
- Read more: Action progress plan (opens Google Doc)
Action 3
- Increase representation of diverse perspectives and the people from historically marginalized communities in our workshops, events, exhibitions, and news stories.
- Read more: Action progress plan (opens Google Doc)
About the strategic plan
The strategic plan is founded on principles gleaned from our experience supporting the UC Berkeley academic community and our Library workforce during and after the COVID-19 lockdown, which spurred us to focus more intensively on our most essential functions. Core services are the foundation of this organization and the plan. Our list of core services, as outlined in the plan, is long, reflecting the complex and multifaceted nature of an academic library that supports people at a leading public research university.
The priorities outlined in the plan were developed through the analysis of Library data trends, national academic library trends, and input from Library employees. Many of the actions called for in the strategic plan build on work started in the previous plan; a few are new, having emerged through conversations with the Library community or evaluation of Library data.
In developing a road map for implementing the strategic plan, we will be intentional about setting realistic expectations for what the scope of each action should be and when each action should be pursued. We can’t do everything at once; the Library will embark on this work over the course of several years and in alignment with the organization’s staffing and financial resources.
In the spirit of the strategic plan’s renewed focus on transparency, accountability, and prioritization, the scope and timeline for each action will be confirmed and communicated as part of a forthcoming implementation phase. In addition, deliverables and measurements of accountability and success will be developed, tracked, and published.
What are the Library’s core services?
- Access services and resource sharing: Study space; circulation services; access to noncirculating materials, special formats, and special collections; Northern Regional Library Facility (NRLF) requests; privileges; course reserves; interlibrary borrowing and lending; collection management; shelving of materials.
- Collections and technical services: Selection, acquisition, management, and licensing of circulating and special collections materials; receiving of materials; cataloging; processing; archival processing; NRLF deposits; scholarly communication services.
- Administrative services: Human resources support for Library employees; hiring; purchasing, contracts, and other financial support; emergency planning and preparedness; annual statistics from the UC Office of the President (UCOP), the Association of Research Libraries (ARL), and the Association of College and Research Libraries (ACRL).
- Communications: Communications with Library staff, the campus community, and the public; website content; events; signage; exhibitions.
- Development: Fundraising to support our mission; engagement; outreach.
- Facilities and security: Security and building access; facilities maintenance and upkeep of essential building systems; mail receiving and delivery; space planning.
- Information technology: Library employee, spaces, and public computing and printing support; digital collections; imaging services and digitization; network, Wi-Fi, systems, and applications infrastructure; website technology; integrated library system and discovery; research data services.
- Preservation: Binding of unbound and at-risk materials; repairs; special collections treatment; preparation of materials for digitization; disaster and salvage services.
- Public services: Reference; instruction; disability resources; liaisons and outreach to students and faculty through academic departments and academic support units