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Preamble

Preamble

Seton Hall University Libraries, Strategic Plan: 2012 to 2020

Preamble and background

The Libraries in many ways instantiate the University’s academic ambitions and this Plan articulates the role we can play in the greater social, moral-ethical, and democratic goods that are embodied in Seton Hall’s Mission and Strategic Plan.

Like all strategic plans, this one will be iterative, but our statements of mission, vision, values, and goals are meant broadly to set the trajectory of our work for the better part of the next decade. It is our objectives that will be reviewed annually; progress will be assessed and they will be renewed as a guide to our daily, weekly, monthly, semester and year’s work. In other words, specific activities and projects will be undertaken to accomplish our objectives, which in turn are meant to be specific articulations of the work needed to accomplish our goals, in turn shaped to articulate our means of achieving our vision, mission, and embody our values. All of this is of course in parallel to and in support of the broader ambitions of Seton Hall University, which are articulated in the “Strength to Strength” document of 2011.

The Seton Hall University Libraries’ Strategic Planning process began immediately upon the arrival of the new Dean of University Libraries with an adaptation of the SWOT Analysis process conducted through individual meetings with all library staff and faculty, starting July 3rd, 2012. Those meetings finished in three weeks on July 24th, 2012. The results were compiled and analyzed and edited. It was distributed, along with background documentation on the processes and trends in the profession, in preparation for a July 30th, 2012 all-library meeting to discuss the results, and a draft of a Mission, Vision, and Values document. As a result of the July 30th meeting and the strong consensus around those documents coming out of the meeting, volunteers were requested to assist the Dean in the formulation of the rest of the Strategic Plan: honing and editing the Mission, Vision, and Values document and discussion of goals within its context along with the SWOT Analysis. By August 1, the committee was complete, and thanks and acknowledgement here go to Marta Deyrup, Tracy Jackson, Kathleen Dodds, Paul Chao, James Harrington, and Denise D’Agostino for their reading, editing, commentary, and discussion in shaping this plan.

The Strategic Planning Committee met, reviewed and revised drafts of these documents in the month of August, with work concluding in the first weeks of September 2012. Broadly adapting the work of Matthews , this Strategic Plan consists of 1) this Preamble giving background on the process; 2) the Libraries’ Mission, Vision, and Values statements; 3) nine broad Goals derived from those statements; 4) an Objectives document (appended here); 5) an internally distributed Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats (SWOT) Analysis document; with 6) an internally distributed document titled “Organizational Culture, Climate and Interaction” as an appendix. Items 1 through 4 will be posted on the Libraries’ web page, along with periodic renewals and revisions.

The entire Seton Hall University Libraries organization has expressed a strong desire for renewal, growth, and vital contribution to the work of the University. This Strategic Plan was able to be formulated relatively quickly because of the urgency of those sentiments. Our next steps are to affirm and carry through on this important work and achieve our organizational ambitions in helping the Seton Hall communities.