Launching a New Vision and Mission

Throughout 2024, the WashU Libraries Vision Statement Task Force worked to develop a vision statement, which the Libraries had never had, and to revise and refine our mission statement to align with that vision statement as well as the university’s Here and Next strategic plan. 

The Task Force held a series of working sessions with staff, consulted with faculty, students, alumni, and university administration, and worked through multiple rounds of revisions, drafts, and editorial comments. The result is a collaboratively developed statement that connects the work of the Libraries strongly with the overarching mission of the university, reflects the broad scope of work that the Libraries engage in and allows staff to see their own work connected to that broader mission. I’m very pleased that the final statement also connects the mission, or the Libraries’ core purpose, directly to our vision, which captures the future directions of library work. 

Our Mission

We catalyze the use of information…

We make resources discoverable and ensure their long-term preservation; we also facilitate their use and enable deep engagement to positively impact every student, instructor, and researcher across departments, schools, and communities.

Our Vision

…to drive the discovery of knowledge

WashU Libraries will be an integral partner to students, faculty, and staff in pursuit of the Here and Next strategic plan. We will leverage expertise, infrastructure, and collections to advance transformative research and student success, including:

• Developing and supporting all types of literacies—data literacy, information literacy, visual literacy, and critical thinking
• Integrating new and emerging technologies to increase the accessibility and usability of information resources
• Optimizing the use of library spaces for research, teaching, and learning

The mission and vision statements have been integrated into our website and are serving as a touchstone for building library programs and projects. Through 2025 the Libraries will build on the mission and vision statements, mapping the connections with our strategic priorities, and refining those priorities as needed to achieve the vision.