Mission statements in academic libraries: a discourse analysis

Abstract

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to determine how academic library mission statements are related to their parent institution mission statements. Design/methodology/approach Using a random sample of the US colleges and universities, library and their respective college or university mission statements were compared using discourse analysis. Findings This study shows a very weak link between college or university mission statements and library mission statements in the majority of cases. Originality/value This paper opens a discussion of the value and purpose of library mission statements with the context of parent institution mission statements.

Exploring the common factors affecting the strategic plans in Iranian academic libraries

“…Therefore, the awareness of the users' information needs could play a crucial role in planning for libraries' future. Wadas (2017) also, by discussing the importance of libraries' activities for parent institutions, reported a very weak relationship between libraries and universities' mission statement (Wadas, 2017).…”

“…In this qualitative research, the data were collected by semi-structured interview form. Some previous related studies have identified several factors for the success and failure of library strategic plans (Matthews and Walton, 2014;Mohammad Esmaeil, 2014;Smith, 2004;Wadas, 2017). To develop this interview guide, factors influencing different parts of the strategic plan including goals, missions, values, strengths and weaknesses were analyzed.…”

Innovations in Learning and Teaching in Academic Libraries: Alignment, Collaboration, and the Social Turn

“…Learning and teaching have been part of the core mission of academic libraries for decades (Aldrich, 2007;Bangert, 1997;Wadas, 2017), but the way libraries fulfil their educational responsibilities is continually evolving in response to changes in pedagogy, technology, the economy, society, and the policies and strategies of their parent institutions. The "demand for increased flexibility of pace, place and delivery" (HEA, 2015) as a result of financial retrenchment, marketisation and differentiation in higher education (in the UK and elsewhere) and of developments in pedagogies has meant, in theory at least, that a holistic approach to learning and the student experience is now usual practice, as is acceptance that this will involve partnership and collaboration from across an institution.…”

Evaluating national library mission statements in Ibero-America

“…Others channel attention to hybrid libraries' mission (Von Elm and Trump, 2001). Wadas (2017) discusses the relationship between university libraries' mission and the university served. In an earlier paper, Wilson (1988) connects academic libraries' mission to information science.…”