Implementing the ACRL Framework: Mission Statements

The Library’s information skills curriculum fosters the development of independent thinkers capable of analyzing, evaluating, and creating knowledge with expertise and flexibility in their careers and lives. We support the Stonehill community by cultivating the ability to use information responsibly within a fluid technological and social environment.

Draft 3

The Library’s information skills curriculum [program?] fosters the development of independent thinkers capable of analyzing, evaluating and creating information with expertise and flexibility in their careers and life. We support Stonehill's diverse community [the whole person?] by cultivating students’ ability to use information responsibly within a fluid technological and social environment.

DRAFT TWO (2/22/16):

The Library’s information literacy program fosters independent thinkers capable of analyzing, evaluating and creating information with self-confidence and adaptability in their careers and life. We support the whole person by facilitating students’ ability to use information responsibly within a fluid technological and social environment.

OR

Valuing a diverse community, the Library’s information fluency program fosters independent thinkers capable of analyzing, evaluating and creating information with self-confidence and adaptability in their careers and life. We support the whole person by facilitating students’ ability to use information responsibly within a fluid technological and social environment.

Phrase/word we haven’t worked in:

Within our diverse community

Within a diverse community

Supporting a diverse community

Working within a diverse community

Potential alternatives/synonyms/active phrasing to begin with:

Enhance

Value/valuing

Sustaining

Guiding

Other question is:

Information literacy vs metaliteracy vs. information fluency (where do we want to position ourselves on that spectrum of terminology?)

Information literacy isn't about the library but rather about how users are able to navigate through information in their life, and when to use information no matter where it comes from.

Is this next list more our goals/outcomes?
question received ideas; engage with the scholarly debate; develop their own opinions/positions; embrace uncertainty of the research process; develop new perspectives; free inquiry; navigate challenging situations with resilience and perseverance

William Perry: "knowledge is an ongoing, unfolding, evolving activity"

Fostering engagement through intentional/sequenced learning

Responsibly: covers a lot of ground so we want this in there

Contributing [to the development of; awkward/wordy] responsible, independent/autonomous thinkers [capable of/confident in, want something that connotes both of these things] finding, using, and creating information in their careers and life. 

We do want a reference to the whole person. 

WHAT ARE WE CALLING OURSELVES?
Reference department? Information literacy program? Information fluency program?

DRAFT ONE TEXT:

The Library supports the development of the whole person through an intentional information fluency program that fosters students’ ability to use information responsibly within a fluid technological environment. Working with a diverse community of people and ideas, we teach students the self-confidence and problem solving skills to approach challenging situations in their lives and careers with resilience, adaptability, and flexibility.

Not in this wording: “mental map,” “free inquiry,” “transformation,” “new perspectives”  [Accept ambiguity (but request was for ‘better phrasing’)]

Please add your ideas here for how we can synthesize the information in the box above into a succinct mission statement! You can also put ideas here for your response to "What are we calling ourselves?"

Jane

I added these questions to help focus on what might be included.

What do we do?

Provide [relevant research skills] in a rapidly changing technological environment. Assist in the development of the necessary [skills] which will foster independent, responsible and adaptable consumers of information.

For whom do we do it?

Student, faculty, staff and those associated with Stonehill College.

What is the benefit?

Being able to identify resources, decipher and use information to develop opinions, initiate thinking to assist in being responsible and caring individuals.

Joe

Here are some ideas:

The core mission of the MacPhaidin Library Information Literacy program is to develop independent thinkers capable of finding, using, and creating information in their careers and life.

The program fosters the ability to independently and ethically identify, select, analyze and evaluate information in a rapidly changing technological environment.

Referring to the draft:

...within a fluid technological and social environment. 

• What are we ideally providing students as skills?
• What is our vision for where we'd like to be?
• From the book Made to Stick: "Sticky" ideas share six key qualities: Simplicity, unexpectedness, concreteness, credibility, emotional, stories. (ie simplicity could mean we save you time, and unexpectedness could mean "see us now, reap the benefits later," as we don't always present things as having a long term payoff.

Notes during 2/4 Meeting:

• Vision: A one-credit class for first year and transfer students, or if we can't get one-credit a class they must take that has a strong library component (long-range goal); or require that cornerstone classes must work with librarians in scaffolded/sustained way?
• information as empowering people (quote coming from Heather) to create; evaluating, using information to create changes they want to see in society
• Vision: reaching all the first-year students and have an integrated four-year information literacy program
• Technology involvement: ties between library and IT such that information literacy might incorporate digital/metaliteracy? There are so many advancements in tech that it's difficult for library professionals to keep up with all the developments and apps that could be beneficial across our disciplines; if we had the time and professional development to keep up with these changes that would enable us to serve our students and faculty more effectively. We'll keep abreast of technology that could benefit the information and digital literacy skills of our students.
• Can we disentangle in the minds of the faculty the idea of the library and technology? The idea that information and access to information are not the same thing as being able to use information effectively. Just because you can find something doesn't mean you can use it well. This seems to be a gap currently in expectations and achievements within the program; students can find nine articles but not necessarily pick the most effective/useful/scholarly/etc. to use within their papers. 
• IE we are teaching students how to be discerning consumers of information.
• Skills we're providing/want to provide students: evaluation of resources, how to develop searching strategies, how to develop research questions, the value of information, critical thinking skills, ethical use of information, understanding of the use of misinformation and disinformation, understanding of how materials are gathered and processed and arranged in databases, value of being social (ie asking questions, interacting with librarians, etc.), being comfortable questioning sources, creating and defending an opinion/argument (IE I hear you but I disagree)
• Do we want to take on teaching technology? What types of technology?

From Trish:

Hannon Library Southern Oregon University

Reads in part:

“The Southern Oregon University Hannon Library's Information Literacy and Instruction Program serves students, faculty, and staff by supporting the instructional mission of the Library and the University. Our mission is to teach students to think critically and use information for their academic, professional, and personal lives--helping them define information needs, then locate, evaluate, and use all available information resources effectively and responsibly.”

Willamette University

Reads in Part:

“The core mission of the Mark O. Hatfield Library instruction program is to prepare Willamette students to be successful information seekers and critical consumers in a rapidly changing technological environment. Our commitment to the concept of information literacy is structured after the Academic College & Research Libraries (ACRL) Information Literacy Standards. It also aligns with Willamette's Mission Statement and the Mark O. Hatfield Library Mission Statement.”

CalPoly Pamona

Reads in Part:

“Providing high-quality instructional materials and services that foster diverse learners’ information literacy competencies; these competencies, which include the ability to articulate an information need, and to locate, evaluate, and use information effectively and ethically, provide a foundation for lifelong learning and for success in the classroom, the workplace, and civic life.”

Purdue University

“Purdue University Libraries’ research-based information literacy programming empowers Purdue’s diverse communities of learners to use information critically to learn and to create new knowledge, fostering academic, personal, and professional success.”

Montana State University

I think this is too wordy, but I do like that it talks about primary modes of instruction and focuses on the ideas of fluidity and independence.

The University of New Orleans

Shorter (still probably too long, and seems based on the standards, but I like the first and final sentences)

University of North Georgia

Good links between instruction mission statement, clear goals, and program offerings.

NCCU

Very succinct.

Duke University

ACRL Publication on Library Mission statements

http://www.stonehill.edu/about-stonehill-our-mission/mission-philosophy/

http://www.stonehill.edu/library/about-the-library/mission-statement/

http://www.stonehill.edu/offices-services/office-of-the-provost/academic-vision-statement/