RIT Libraries Strategic Plan
Introduction
Creating the C1U Library: 2005-2010
A Strategic Plan
When I took office, only high energy physicists had ever heard of what is called the World Wide Web.... Now, even my cat has its own page.Bill Clinton
42nd president of the United States
Academic libraries played an early and vital role in embracing the Internet as a pivotal and transformative resource. The profession's traditional expertise in searching and retrieving information easily evolved to incorporate the Internet and web-based databases as legitimate research tools alongside printed books, journals, media and the like. When RIT began its Internet evolution, RIT's library was among the first to create an RIT-branded website. Our services and resources have grown in breadth and depth over the past years; in particular, our efforts to teach RIT students, faculty, and staff how to use electronic information resources and web-development tools have become an important part of our mission.
As a new strategic direction for RIT emerges, the RIT Libraries enthusiastically embrace the goal of becoming a category of one university. We believe RIT's libraries will be an important campus partner in the effort to raise RIT to the "standard of comparison to which others aspire." To achieve this, we firmly believe the bar must be raised and respectfully submit this strategic plan proposal to the campus for consideration and comment.
There are three distinct libraries housed within our campus facility, the Wallace Library, the Melbert B. Cary Jr. Graphic Arts Collection, and the RIT Archives and Special Collections. Our proposal responds directly to RIT's Strategic Plan 2005-2010 and encompasses the work of the entire library staff, as well as input solicited from hundreds of RIT faculty, graduate students, undergraduate students and others derived from one-on-one interviews, focus groups, survey responses, and requests.
Though space considerations, collection size, and staffing preclude us from becoming a traditional research library, we believe enhancing our services, technology, partnerships and the facility to match or exceed best practices is vital, if we are to change a very good campus library to a great campus library. The driving concept behind this proposal is to transform what has been a primarily undergraduate library into a new Center for RIT Culture and Information Services. To achieve this, additional energy, resources and proficiencies must be focused in providing exceptional library support for undergraduate education, graduate research and faculty scholarship.
Additional information is provided here concerning the Library's mission, our strategic planning process and timeline.
Sincerely,
Chandra McKenzie
Assistant Provost and Director, RIT Libraries
