Our Vision, Mission, and Values
Our Vision
A more enlightened and connected future created through knowledge.
Our Mission
Cornell University Library fosters inquiry, enables scholarship, and preserves knowledge through innovative services, inclusive spaces, and outstanding collections.
Our Values
The greater good
We advance the principles of democracy, justice, and inclusion, and we promote intellectual freedom by empowering discovery through the broadest possible access to information.
Human-centered approach
We respect the whole person. We build services, including collections, centered on the needs of our current and future users. We foster a healthy workplace by promoting engagement and growth for all.
Innovation
We seek bold solutions. We are collaborative, agile, and committed to continuous improvement.
Integrity
We earn trust by consistently putting our words into action and through responsible stewardship of university resources.
Sustainable practices
We act intentionally as One Library and in concert with the University and the broader library and academic communities.
June 2024
One Library for One Cornell Strategic Plan Framework
Cornell University Library will enhance interdisciplinary scholarship, promote equitable access to resources, and advance Cornell’s mission of academic excellence and societal impact by strengthening collaboration and connectivity across the Library.
Strategic Direction 1: Catalyzing Research and Discovery
The Library is foundational to the University’s academic distinction as it enables inquiry, collaboration, creativity, and discovery both within and across disciplines. Building on our strong record of facilitating knowledge creation, we are committed to innovation and collaboration across the Library.
- Shape our world-class collection to align with an ever-evolving curriculum and research enterprise.
- Create and sustain services that facilitate research.
- Promote open scholarship practices that increase the impact of Cornell research and support more equitable access to research.
Strategic Direction 2: Advancing Student Success
Cornell’s culture of empowering student success is strengthened by the Library providing a rich environment of intellectual inspiration and fostering a learning community. We commit to building a fulfilling student experience through equitable access to services and experts.
- Create welcoming environments that integrate our expertise, technology, collections, and services.
- Instill skills and confidence so students become engaged global citizens.
- Inspire intellectual curiosity and broad inquiry in support of information literacy and lifelong learning.
Strategic Direction 3: Sustainable Stewardship
As a promise to the Cornell community, the Library will pursue new approaches towards sustainable stewardship by preserving access to the scholarly and cultural record, optimizing spaces to best meet user needs, and developing skilled employees.
- Invest in the stewardship of our collections and spaces, supporting long-term access.
- Build strategies for the selection, preservation, and access of digital and physical assets and collections.
- Invest in our expert employees to support their continued success in a dynamic landscape.