UMA Libraries Strategic Plan 2021-2024

 

Mission

UMA Libraries’ mission supports the vision and goals of the University of Maine at Augusta to improve institutional outcomes by providing a dynamic and inclusive learning environment that empowers students, faculty, and researchers to access, evaluate, and use information effectively. We are committed to fostering intellectual curiosity, critical thinking, and lifelong learning through high-quality collections, technologies, expertise, and programming that speaks to the unique needs of our community. We strive to cultivate a collaborative and supportive community that values diversity, inclusivity, and equitable access to information.

Goals

  • Goal: Strategic Workforce Planning

    • Objective: Semiannually evaluate staff abilities and knowledge and skills to help assess future workforce planning and needs.
      • Initiative: Perform semiannual KSA's (Knowledge, Skills, Abilities) and talent assessments with library staff to determine the gap between the skills we have and what skills we need to maintain essential services and achieve innovative strategic goals.
      • Initiative: Encourage staff professional growth and development.
      • Initiative: Create and annually update and maintain libraries hiring and onboarding processes.

  • Goal: Support UMA DEI Initiatives

    • Objective: Increase faculty use of Open Educational Resources (OER).
      • Initiative: Increase faculty use of Open Educational Resources (OER) by offering incentives through UMA Libraries OER Honorariums Program as well OER collections development.
      • Initiative: Partner with Learning Experience Designers to support faculty to integrate OER into curricula and course design.
    • Objective: Support students' mental and emotional health resulting from the global pandemic.
      • Initiative: Encourage visits from Love on a Leash - Therapy Dog program during finals week.
      • Initiative: Offer workshops and events or suggested reading lists for mental health/wellness.
    • Objective: Increase accessibility of public-facing library documents and learning objects.
      • Initiative: Go through public-facing library documents and tutorials to ensure accessibility.

  • Goal: Increase UMA Libraries outreach to the UMA community.

    • Objective: Increase library marketing and outreach to faculty/staff/students.
      • Initiative: Using assistance from the newly formed ASU Communications Committee, market library services to faculty such as collection development, curriculum changes outreach, embedded librarians.
      • Initiative: Add Zoom button (similar to FDC) on the library website for the UMA community to connect virtually with librarians during daytime hours.
      • Initiative: Move libraries to Jira ticketing system for a more streamlined patron question & service funnel.
      • Initiative: Create a UMA Libraries Annual Report for the UMA community.
      • Initiative: Position Library staff to serve on various committees throughout the university.
    • Objective: Increase library collaboration with UMA Centers.
      • Initiative: Work with Student Success Coordinators to provide library support for students.
      • Initiative: Increase signage/brochures available at Centers.
      • Initiative: Increase librarian visits to Centers (in-person/virtually) including offering workshops.
    • Objective: Increase collaboration between Prison Education Partnership and UMA Libraries.
      • Initiative: Support EBSCO's Correctional Ed database usage, student research, and database training in all Department of Corrections facilities.
      • Initiative: Support faculty research for those in the Teaching Justice-Impacted Students Fellowship program as well as anyone using the Teaching Justice-Impacted Students Brightspace course.

  • Goal: Create flexible physical library spaces for collaboration and learning.

    • Objective: Provide students with quiet, private, and climate-controlled rooms and areas to study and participate in online courses.
      • Initiative: Purchase Library Pods from Red Thread for student study/Zoom class use.
      • Initiative: Create quiet study rooms with Zoom Carts for students to participate in online classes.
    • Objective: Increase collaboration with other Teaching & Learning Commons departments.
      • Initiative: Collaborate with faculty and LXDs on UMA Libraries OER Honorariums Program.
      • Initiative: Collaborate with UMA Writing Centers and VAWLT to create a robust Writing tips, tools, and tricks Research Guide.
      • Initiative: Design and locate Tech Hub walk-up services center in the collaboration zones within the libraries.

  • Goal: Increase information literacy at UMA.

    • Objective: Encourage and support a collaborative Academic Integrity plan with many stakeholders.
      • Initiative: Gather a group of interested individuals to evaluate current UMA Academic Integrity efforts and develop a list of AI learning objects to create.
    • Objective: Encourage and support the creation of an ELL (English Language Learners) Corner housed within UMA Libraries.
      • Initiative: Purchase print and electronic materials to support UMA’s english language learners.
    • Objective: Increase push for embedded information literacy at UMA.
      • Initiative: Create additional tutorials, videos, and learning objects that can be shared to a variety of stakeholders.

You can download our Strategic Plan in pdf format.