Library Services

The vision of the Florida Gulf Coast University Library is to be integral to the realization of the University’s aspirations and to be a knowledge resource center of distinction. To realize that vision, the Library mission is to strengthen the intellectual environment of the academic community and nurture lifelong learning among Florida residents. We work to accomplish this mission by providing:

Library and information resources, services, and technologies that promote excellence in teaching, learning, service, and research for the University’s academic disciplines,
Leadership and expertise in navigating an increasingly complex and diverse scholarly information environment,
Partnerships which promote scholarship, service, and the profession, as well as environmental stewardship, social responsibility, and respect for diversity,
Responsible stewardship of resources, and
Facilities which preserve an intellectual center of the campus and foster study and research interaction among students, faculty, librarians, and information resources.

Goal 1: High Quality Education FGCU Library Services will provide high quality library service to the FGCU community, as defined through the following activities: 1. Information literacy instruction will be provided to ensure students have the skills to become academically engaged. 2. The FGCU community will rate library employees as providing superior customer service. 3. Individualized research consultations will be provided to students and faculty at their request to ensure they have the materials and skills they need for teaching, learning, and research. 1. The library will administer the ETS Information & Computer Literacy Assessment test to determine our students' information literacy skills. 2. Gaps identified by LibQUAL+ 2006 between our users' perceived and desired levels of service will be compared to LibQUAL+ 2008 and addressed as necessary and feasible. 3. Feedback forms completed by users after individualized research consultations will indicate whether the service was useful. 1. The library administered the ETS Information & Computer Literacy Assessment for the first time in Spring 2007. Feedback from this assessment will enable the library to refine and improve its IL program. 2. Biennial administration of this survey allows us to see how well we have addressed and corrected any problems or concerns over time. 3. Feedback forms indicate high levels of user satisfaction. These forms will be monitored by the Head of Reference and the Assistant Director for Public Services. 1. The library will administer the ETS ICT biennially on odd-numbered years. 2. LibQUAL+ is administered biennially on even-numbered years. 3. Individualized research consultations are assessed on a continual basis. Goal 1 High Quality Education FGCU Librarians will develop a well-organized and accessible collection to ensure students have the resources that they need for academic success, as defined by the following activities: 1. Users will find the library easy to understand and use. 2. FGCU will compare its library holdings against peer Florida state university libraries to establish gaps or strengths. 3. Librarians will provide data in the form of Library impact statements to the Office of Curriculum and Instruction to describe the resources needed in support of new academic degrees and programs. 4. Monograph collections will be developed and supported through an allocation formula. 1. Gaps identified by LibQUAL+ 2006 between our users' perceived and desired ease of use will be compared to LibQUAL+ 2008 and addressed as necessary. 2. The Library will continue its participation in the state-wide WorldCat Collection Analysis project. 3. Library impact statements describe the required library resources for new academic degrees and programs. Some new programs require little additional funding, but other programs require significant additional funding for library resources. 4. The allocation for each discipline will be fully spent by the end of the fiscal year. 1. Biennial administration of this survey allows us to see how well we have addressed and corrected any problems or concerns over time. 2. The pilot project analyzing the depth, currency, uniqueness, and overlap of a subset of the State University Library Collections has been completed. 3. Although we have added many new programs since opening in 1997, the library has not had concomitant funding to support increased library demands. 4. Expenditures are monitored regularly to ensure that funds are neither over- nor under-spent. 1. LibQUAL+ is administered biennially on even-numbered years. 2. The SUL Collections Planning Committee will draft an RFP during 2008 for the completed collection analysis. 3. Library impact statements are compiled as needed. Articulation between library and Academic Affairs budgeting process should occur annually in spring. 4. Selectors will receive quarterly reports reflecting their disciplinary expenditures. Goal 4 Talented And Dedicated Faculty And Staff FGCU Library Services will recruit, retain, and develop library staff and faculty, as defined by the following activities: 1. Identify and describe needed positions for funding consideration. 2. Encourage staff and faculty to participate in professional development and educational opportunities. 1. Staffing needs will be identified based on current and upcoming program needs. 2. Library faculty and staff will be provided with opportunities to participate in professional development or scholarly activities. 1. Reasonable assignments will be defined based on similar positions in like institutions, as found on professional job lists and in the professional literature. 2. Annual staff and faculty reviews describe scholarly, professional, and developmental activities undertaken each year. Current levels of involvement will be maintained or increased. 1. Annually; staffing needs will be reviewed each winter in preparation for spring budget request. 2. Annually; based on faculty and staff reviews. Goal 5 State of the Art Infrastructure FGCU Library Services will design and maintain the library facilities to foster intellectual interaction and productivity. 1. Equip and furnish the new library expansion to encourage student and faculty interaction with collections, classmates, instructors and colleagues. 1. LibQUAL+ 2008 and 2006 scores on "library as place" will be compared to identify opportunities for improvement. 1. LibQUAL+ is administered biennially on even-numbered years. Goal 7 Community Leadership Use the professional knowledge and expertise of library faculty and staff to improve library services to residents of Southwest Florida, as defined by the following activities: 1. Provide administrative support to and collaborate with the Southwest Florida Library Network (SWFLN), one of six multi-type library cooperatives in Florida, to improve delivery of library services to area residents. 2. Provide leadership to various SWFLN committees and initiatives. 1. SWFLN will enhance library services in its service region by obtaining grants for cooperative ventures and by offering low-cost continuing education opportunities to member libraries. 2. Library faculty and staff will lead and serve on SWFLN committees. 1. SWFLN will continue to obtain significant grant funding to support library services to its region, depending upon available grants. Sample benchmarks for 2005-2006: Library Cooperative Grant, $300,000; LSTA Training & Resource Sharing, $104,000. 2. FGCU faculty and staff will continue to be actively involved with SWFLN's administration and outreach efforts. 1. SWFLN Executive Director's reports are issued monthly and annually. 2. Faculty and staff involvement in SWFLN committees is assessed during the annual review process. Goal 8 Continuous Assessment FGCU Library Services will develop a multi-year comprehensive assessment plan. 1. Assessment instruments will be selected that measure the library's services, collections, and educational strategies. 1. Results of assessments will be used to identify areas needing improvement. 1. Major assessments are administered alternately every two years (LibQual+ on even numbered years; ICT during odd-numbered years. Add review comments from ACI, then Submit