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Strategic Plan & Vision
The UTSA Libraries' Strategic Plan supports and reflects the initiatives outlined in UTSA 2016: A Shared Vision.
UTSA Libraries Strategic Vision
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A Focus on Access
As the intellectual heart of campus, UTSA's Libraries play a pivotal role in the institution's ascent to Tier One research university status. State legislation specifies membership in the prestigious Association of Research Libraries (ARL) is among the criteria for Tier One research status. In 2006 ARL adopted a new method for assessing its membership that accentuates services, campus integration, institutional support and access to resources over collection size. Taking advantage of this evolving landscape, UTSA Libraries will take an activist approach to emphasizing access over collections, and to building an advanced discovery environment that teaches students how to access, organize, evaluate and incorporate information into independent intellectual thought. Recognizing that many students rely heavily on the Internet as the starting point for their research, the libraries' digital and physical collections will be cohesively presented online, creating a virtual environment that is user-centered and intuitive.
Advancing the Quality of Education and Scholarship
An advanced library with a comprehensive program of services is essential to UTSA's continued growth and success. The UTSA Libraries will enthusiastically advocate for the development of students' information literacy skills, partnering with faculty to ensure first-year students receive instruction in library research methods. Collaborative relationships with the Writing Center and tutoring and supplemental instruction units of the Tomás Rivera Center for Student Success will effectively create a one-stop shop for student learning engagement. The relocation of the Teaching and Learning Center to the John Peace Library will further enhance the ability of librarians to partner with faculty.
Strategically Developed Research-Oriented Collections
UTSA's Libraries will serve the greater scholarly community by developing distinctive collections of national interest. These signature collections will draw from the academic and research needs of the university, supporting the university's predicted areas of growth. The collections will intentionally avoid overlap with those held by other area institutions, thus making unique contributions to the aggregation of research resources available in North America. Areas of specialization may build on existing collections on Women and Gender, HemisFair '68, and the Mexican American Archives project. UTSA's academic areas with the greatest potential for special collection development and support include architecture, engineering, public policy, business and environment/sustainability.
Physical Spaces that Foster Learning
Due to the increased availability of electronic information, spaces within the library that once served as a storehouse for books will now provide state-of-the-art services that support faculty and students. Physical collections will be weeded to eliminate underutilized and redundant materials, and expanded space created for student use. Library spaces will be flexible, functional and encourage both individual and collaborative teaching, research and study.
UTSA Libraries' Strategic Plan
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