D. Hiden Ramsey Library
The University of North Carolina at Asheville

Mission

The primary mission of library and learning services is to support the teaching, research and public service missions of the University of North Carolina at Asheville. The library meets diverse academic needs by providing information in a variety of formats, individual consultation services in locating and using resources and instruction in library use and research. It supports educational and instructional needs for audiovisual and teleconference services through the Ramsey Library Media and Distance Learning facilities. The library enhances the intellectual climate of the campus by offering independent avenues for inquiry, understanding and cultural enrichment. As a place at the heart of the academic community, it fosters an environment where thought and reflection can exist alongside the new information technologies as well as the older repositories of knowledge in books. The library offers services to a broad clientele: students, including UNCA undergraduates, those in UNCA's Special Academic Programs, the Asheville Graduate Center, and the North Carolina Center for Creative Retirement; UNCA faculty and staff; students and faculty of the Western North Carolina Library Network member institutions, the constituent institutions of the University of North Carolina; and the other colleges in the region with which Ramsey Library has written agreements. Where practicable the library also serves residents of the larger city-county-regional area who have educational needs that require Ramsey Library services.

GENERAL PROGRAM GOALS

1. Learning Resources. Acquire and maintain information resources in print and non-print formats, and provide access to remote resources relevant to the academic needs of UNCA clientele.
2. Education and Access. Foster awareness of and access to library resources through group instruction in library use and research methods, individualized reference service, the use of established systems of classification and indexing and the application of new technologies.
3. Media and Distance Learning. Facilitate learning, research and public service through audiovisual and telecommunication services.
4. Personnel. Maintain a strong professional, technical, and support staff who are dedicated to public service and to the achievement of the library mission through careful personnel selection, in-service training, provision of opportunities for professional growth, maintenance of a favorable working climate, and recognition of outstanding service.
5. The Library Facility. Maintain and enhance the library as a place, recognizing that it is the University's defining building and the gathering place for those who would be liberally educated.
6. Operational Resources. Acquire, organize and employ the resources necessary to accomplish the mission and program goals.

PROGRAM OBJECTIVES

Goal I. Acquire and maintain information resources in print and non-print formats, and provide access to remote resources relevant to the academic needs of UNCA clientele.

A. Develop and maintain an acquisition budget sufficient to acquire a high percentage of the resources needed to support the programs of the University and to meet patron requests. Funds should permit an annual net growth rate in the book collection in excess of 5%.

    1. Strengthen the core print collections needed by students and faculty.

B. Ensure consistent quality in collection development through standard collection analysis and management techniques.

1. Assess collections on an annual basis to determine if collection growth in specific subjects is in line with use of materials as indicated by circulation, ILL, ABC Express, proportional use studies, and other statistical data gathered during the year, and by analysis of searches done on the online system and questions received at the reference desk.
2. Compare use of collections on an annual basis with previous year's usage records and with usage records of our Western North Carolina Library Network partners and peer institution libraries where data is available to us.
3. Determine how students are using the collections by statistical studies which cross-tabulate library usage with demographic data such as year of study, major, etc.

C. Maintain efficient ordering, acquisition, cataloging, processing, and shelving procedures.

D. Maintain materials in good physical condition through binding, preservation, use of appropriate storage facilities, and maintenance of optimum conditions of temperature and humidity.

    1. Enhance collection security by stripping pre-1982 materials.
    2. Inventory print holdings.

E. Continuously evaluate the collection to provide for the withdrawal of materials which are outdated, damaged or worn, or no longer relevant to current academic programs or faculty research.

F. Provide access to remote electronic databases -- both bibliographic and full-text -- that are appropriate for our clientele, and maintain currency in the equipment, training, and licensing necessary to exploit these resources.

1. Take advantage of the developing campus network for information delivery.
2. Fit (integrate) N.C. Live (N.C. Virtual Library) resources into Ramsey Library services.
3. Integrate electronic access to public documents into Ramsey Library user services.
4. Provide integrated and balanced public access to print/electronic and local/remote resources.
5. Integrate electronic journals and reference sources with existing print materials and cancel current journal    and standing order subscriptions as needed.
6. Improve capacity to access and retrieve information (document delivery, electronic full-text, links to Web resources).
7. Through statistical analyses and interaction at the reference desk, evaluate student use of electronic resources to determine what databases students are using, whether they are using resources appropriate to their research, and whether they are developing increased skills and using more sophisticated resources as they progress in their studies.

G. Maintain and support University Archives and Special Collections by acquiring and facilitating access to materials that are historically significant to UNCA and western North Carolina.

H. Participate in the Western North Carolina Library Network. Cooperate closely with the WNCLN libraries in the purchase, implementation, and maintenance of an integrated online library system. Work to make the resources of the network libraries readily available to students and faculty through a continuing program of shared bibliographic access and document delivery.

    1. Broaden coordinated collection development with WNCLN institutions.
 
I. Maintain and strengthen resource-sharing partnerships with the libraries of the fifteen constituent institutions in the UNC system and with other libraries in the statewide, national and international Interlibrary Loan Network.

1. Maintain beneficial agreements with independent and technical colleges.
2. Work with the UNC constituent institutions to enhance resource sharing and cooperative endeavors.
3. Anticipate a broadening definition of "users" and "cooperation" which will accompany the emerging virtual library and a growing diversity of educational options (e.g. home schooling, distance learning, charter schools).
   

Goal II. Foster awareness of and access to library resources through group instruction in library use and research methods, individualized reference service, the use of established systems of classification and indexing and the application of new technologies.

A. Maintain an instruction and orientation program that ensures maximum use of resources and services, helps students and faculty achieve the learning objectives of specific courses, provides students with the means of continuing self-education through development of skills and techniques in research strategy, and acquaints upper-division students with the specialized literature and research techniques of their disciplines.

1. Assess effectiveness of library research courses and bibliographic instruction through student evaluations.
2. Broaden integration of library resources and services with campus instructional programs.
3. Develop the electronic classroom as a learning laboratory.
4. Expand use of the World Wide Web as a support to instruction.

B. Provide individual consultative assistance in the use of library resources and services.

C. Circulate appropriate library materials to qualified users under equitable policies and for reasonable loan periods.

D. Maintain hours of public service and access to materials that are consistent with the reasonable study and research needs of the academic community.

E. Process all materials in accordance with appropriate classification systems and catalog in accordance with national standards. Use the Library of Congress Classification system and Anglo-American Cataloging Rules for the general collection. All new acquisitions, with the exception of most U.S. government publications, curriculum materials, and manuscripts, will be cataloged using the OCLC system and holdings will be maintained on OCLC.

F. Provide and maintain a comprehensive index to the library's holdings that permits ready identification of items, regardless of format, by author, title, subject, and keyword. In addition, maintain other files as needed: monograph order records, standing order records, serial check-in records, and indexes to other materials that are segregated by form.

G. Arrange a selective collection of federal and state government publications appropriate to the needs of the university and the Asheville community through established systems of documents organization.

H. Disseminate information concerning materials, services, activities, and the state of the library to faculty, staff, students, and administrators in reports, brochures, newsletters, bibliographies, and displays.

Goal III. Facilitate learning, research and service through media and telecommunication services.

A. Operate teleconference facilities adequate to provide the distance education and data transfer services needed to fulfill the library and university mission.

1. Establish goals to keep pace with growing Distance Learning programs and services.
2. Reevaluate current distance learning capabilities with regard to present and future UNCA Undergraduate education needs.
3. Conduct periodic surveys to determine student and faculty needs and satisfaction of current services.

B. Maintain and enhance the media facilities and services needed to support classroom teaching, multimedia, computer and language-learning laboratories and video production.

1. Reevaluate multimedia and mediated learning facilities to determine adequacy in meeting present and future instructional needs.
   1. Identify goals to be met (availability of suitable materials, staff consultations with students and faculty, delivery of materials in a timely fashion, etc.)
   2. Measure student-centered instructional use of facilities (utilization of space, number of classrooms, amount of equipment, etc.);Compare use of collections and services on an annual basis with previous year's usage records; and conduct periodic surveys to determine student and faculty needs and satisfaction of current services.
2. Reevaluate laboratory need in light of campus networking project and dorm access.

Goal IV. Maintain a strong professional, technical, and support staff who are dedicated to public service and to the achievement of the library's mission through careful personnel selection, in-service training, provision of opportunities for professional growth, maintenance of a favorable working climate, and recognition of outstanding service.

A. Maintain an appropriate balance among librarians, support staff, and part-time assistants to ensure that work responsibilities are commensurate with educational background, experience, and training.

1. Review organizational structure. Organizational chart for Ramsey Library indicates library faculty and SPA position titles and salary grades. Latest revision: 1/7/98. This chart is regularly perused and discussed by entire staff at all-staff or other collective meetings.

B. Develop a professional staff that is adequate in number to satisfy the standards of the Association of College and Research Libraries at the 100% level of adequacy. ACRL standards are used to measure staff adequacy.

C. Maintain and review on a regular basis written statements of job definition for each staff position which includes a statement of job objectives and specific tasks. Twice yearly job descriptions and performance are reviewed in accordance with university policy. Annual job objectives are stated for the upcoming year, with clear purpose and intent.

1. Work to accomplish needed SPA reclassifications and in-range salary adjustments. Evaluate SPA positions regularly.

D. Maintain written policies and procedures that direct the recruiting, appointment, training, evaluation, promotion, or dismissal of library personnel as established by the UNCA Faculty Handbook and the UNCA Policies and Procedures Manual.

E. Support a program of in-service training.

1. Develop an in-house professional education and mentoring program. Staff is apprised of system enhancements, electronic upgrades, procedural changes, etc.
2. Integrate distance learning opportunities into the staff development program through library specific teleconference programs offered from various sites.
3. Use intranet technology to enhance staff training and communication.

Goal V. Maintain and enhance the library as a place, recognizing that it is the University's defining building and the gathering place for those who would be liberally educated.

A. Provide and maintain the physical facilities required to house library and multimedia resources and the learning services essential to achieve the mission of the university and the library.

B. Ensure that the facilities, equipment, space allocation and organization, and an adequate range of services provide optimum conditions for users.

    1. Develop a multi-year plan to replace or upgrade or add computer hardware.
    2. Provide public access to the emerging campus network.
    3. Work with computer Center to develop a campus information system.
    4. Provide the level of public access to the Internet needed to meet the needs of UNCA students.

C. Create and maintain a milieu in which students are treated with regard and dignity as serious scholars and where people of differing backgrounds seeking different answers have easy access to differing points of view.

Goal VI. Acquire, organize and employ the resources necessary to accomplish the mission and program goals.

A. Seek financial support to supplement State of North Carolina budget appropriations.

    1. Develop a plan to increase external (private) funding.
    2. Develop a plan to increase grant funding.

 B. Develop and maintain systematic and continuous reviewing and monitoring procedures to ensure optimum use of personnel, facilities, materials, and funds and to identify needed improvements.

C. Prepare budget requests, appropriate funds, and approve expenditures within the allowed budget to reflect program goals and maintain the internal records necessary for approving invoices, monitoring encumbrances, and evaluating expenditures.

D. Maintain regular contacts with campus academic and administrative units and with appropriate university committees in order to anticipate new developments that have implications for library resources and services.

E. Maintain an awareness of professional and technological developments for possible application at Ramsey Library.

    1. Further develop connections with the Center for Creative Retirement and College for Seniors which will be mutually beneficial.

E. Maintain the statistics needed for planning, fiscal control, reports and inventory.

F. Maintain written policies and procedures covering library governance and operational activities in order to ensure uniformity and consistency of action.
Revised 3/97

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