Mission, Core Values, Vision and Goals for 2011-2016

BY NANCY HEWISON

At its final retreat on Jan. 31, the Strategic Planning Group (SPG) finalized the mission, core values and vision, as well as the goals for 2011-2016 for the Libraries, Press and Copyright Office. 

How did we get to this point?
Last fall, I reported that SPG intended to invite Libraries, Press and Copyright Office employees to provide input on a draft of the mission, values and vision statement, before completing these documents at SPG’s final retreat. This process changed when a small group created by SPG to refine the statements, which were crafted at a half-day retreat in November, recommended that these refined statements (which reflected significant SPG work and the input gathered from stakeholders inside and outside the Libraries) were ready to move forward without additional review. At its Jan. 31 retreat, SPG made a small wording change to the vision and, more significantly, added several core values; then declared the mission, core values and vision statements final. SPG also finalized three goals for 2011-2016; the objectives related to each goal will be finalized by the Planning and Operations Council (POC), working with the Dean’s Council (DC).

 What’s next? 
1) POC and DC will finalize the objectives for the next five years (Mar.), and answer the question of whether we have the right structure (reporting lines, councils, committees) in place to achieve the plan.

2) Meetings about the plan (Mar.) with each of the three employee groups (faculty, administrative / professional and clerical / service) to discuss where and how we see ourselves and our units involved in making the plan real.   

3) All-staff meetings (Apr.) will address questions raised by the three employee groups.

4) POC will map out FY12 goals and objectives (Apr.).

5) The President and Provost will visit the Libraries (May) for presentations related to the plan, before it goes to them formally for their approval.

If you have questions please contact Nancy Hewison nhewison@purdue.edu.

Purdue Parents’ Fund Provides Furnishings for HSSE Library

Guiding Principles #4: Provide excellent customer service

The Purdue Parents' Fund supports areas of critical concern to parents, educators and students alike. These funds are utilized primarily in areas concerning the safety, health and wellness of every student on campus. The Purdue Libraries was the recipient of one of their fundraising efforts.

In January, using resources provided by the Parents’ Fund, new furniture for the fourth floor of Humanities, Social Science and Education Library was purchased and installed by the Jasper Seating Company of southern Indiana.

The comfortable seating arrangement takes advantage of the contemporary design of the area allowing for a relaxed and inviting study space for students and faculty.

Their fundraising efforts continue to keep the Libraries in focus, targeting resources for Information Literacy classes and providing coffee and refreshments during final exams week.

To learn more about the Purdue Parents’ Fund visit: http://www.purdue.edu/purdue/parents_and_families/fund.html

ACRL Announces Science and Technology Chair

Guiding Principles #3: Define Libraries by relationships, not locations

Maribeth Slebodnik has been elected Chair of the Science and Technology Section of the Association of College and Research Libraries (ACRL), a division of the American Libraries Association. The Science and Technology Section of the ACRL provides a forum through which librarians in scientific and technical subject fields can achieve and maintain awareness of the impact and range of information with which they work; and promotes improved accessibility to and active use of this information. Currently Vice Chair, Slebodnik's term as Chair begins in Jul. 2011.

Guiding Principles #3: Define Libraries by relationships, not locations

Since my Fulbright Fellowship at the Bibliotheca Alexandrina was cut short by the revolution that took place in Egypt, I’ve experienced a range of emotions from relief to disappointment, concern, guilt and hopefulness. I’m relieved to be home and that my family is safe. It was disappointing to walk away from a fellowship that I had been working towards for two years. I’m concerned about the friends I left behind in Egypt and I feel some sense of guilt about leaving them. I am hopeful for the future of Egypt, especially since their president stepped down giving Egyptians a genuine opportunity to build a new, representative government, but more than anything else, I feel gratitude.

I’m grateful for the fundamental rights that I’ve taken for granted for most of my life living in the United States: freedom of expression; freedom to assemble; due process of law; the right to bear arms. These are many of the same rights that my friends in Egypt are asserting themselves to gain now. 

I’m grateful to have timely access to information and have the ability to evaluate its accuracy. In the days following Jan. 25 the Egyptian government began blocking social networking sites such as Facebook and Twitter. By Fri. of that week they had blocked the Internet and completely disabled the country’s cell phone network. While the children were napping on Saturday, my wife and I were glued to Al Jazeera’s live television coverage of the protests, trying to understand what was happening in the streets outside our apartment door. The news correspondents on the scene went from using their full names to only using their first names and then started disappearing altogether. Then, without explanation, Al Jazeera cut its live coverage and began running documentaries on Anwar Sadat and Hosni Mubarak. At that moment when we were trying to evaluate the situation and make decisions to keep our family safe, I had never experienced such an urgent need for information in my life. Libraries play a critical role in the stewardship and conveyance of information, and as a librarian, I was reminded that this responsibility should never be taken lightly.

From our apartment window we could see law and order break down around us. The protests resulted in the people violently overthrowing the police. There were gunfights on our street and we watched gangs of vigilantes beat people with pipes and boards. One of our contingency plans was to evacuate our building and take refuge at a police station that was a block from our apartment. We’re glad that we didn’t because the police station was firebombed later that night. Looting was rampant. We could see other buildings on fire and had to close the windows to keep out the tear gas and smoke. To further complicate matters, we didn’t have our passports; they were in Cairo being processed for my work visa. It was not a good situation.

As soon as the phones were turned back on, one of my first calls was to Dean Mullins to explain our circumstances and ask if there was anything the University could do to help us. Without hesitation, he began working from his home to coordinate phone calls between West Lafayette and Washington D.C. on our behalf. The Binational Fulbright Commission in Egypt was also tremendously supportive, eventually sending a driver to transport us to a safer location and then to the airport in Cairo. 

Thanks in part to the University’s influence and Jim’s work over the weekend, my family was among the first to be evacuated by the U.S. Embassy to Istanbul, Turkey. I appreciate belonging to an organization that takes such good care of its people, especially in dire circumstances. Once we were able to communicate with the outside world it became apparent how many people were concerned for us. Thank you everyone. We’re grateful for everything. It’s good to be back.

Libraries Staff A-Z

CAROLYN LAFFOON
Earth and Atmospheric Sciences Library and Physics Library
Professional Librarian

Q. What do you enjoy most about your job and why? 
A. I love interacting with the EAS faculty, grads and staff. Geology and meteorology are such interesting fields that it tends to draw “down-to-earth” faculty and grads (excuse the pun) and they are such a delight to work with. Plus, after being here for 40 years, they are like family to me.

Q. How long have you worked in the Libraries and at Purdue?
A. 41 years as of Feb.2.

Q. What is one unforgettable experience that has happened to you or your coworkers while working in the library?
A. One of our student workers, Pat Cottler, was Purdue Pete. (Purdue Basketball is the ONLY reason I like Indiana winters!) We also hired one of Pat’s friends, John Daly, who was on the cheerleading squad. Pat said the male cheerleaders are more athletic than the men’s basketball team. He explained that the guys had to pick up the girls and hold them up over their heads with the girls standing in their palms not just for the games, but all that practice. Between Pat and John, we were kept in the loop as to the teams’ latest happenings. The Purdue team was doing exceptionally well during that Keady era, so we had some lively conversations.

Q. What’s your favorite book, Web site, movie? 
A. Favorite movie: The Blind Side. Book: the Bible. Reading Psalms 91 every morning is a good way to start my day. Web site: Facebook

Q. Coffee, tea, water or soft drink? 
A. Tea.

Q. What do you like to do for fun? 
A. Most of my time is spent interacting with family, friends, neighbors, church family and my pets. Costa Rica is where my daughter and son-in-law live, so we Skype regularly. Weather permitting, you will find me outside sitting in the hammock swing reading in the backyard. Plants are a passion, but I did not inherit my grandmother’s green thumb, so most of them die. However, that does not stop me from trying.

Q. Feel free to include any information about yourself that you would like to share with the staff?