SPEC Kit 330: Library Contribution to Accreditation (September 2012)
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98 · Representative Documents: Regional Accrediting Agency Reports Brigham Young University Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU). Library and Information Resources 5 Library and Information Resources 5 OVERVIEW The following chapter outlines how the Lee and Hunter Libraries strive for excellence in furthering the mission of Brigham Young University. The Harold B. Lee Library and Howard W. Hunter Law Library support university objectives by focusing on building collections and providing services that support a broad university education through intensive degree-related study and original research. The libraries provide rich information resources and opportunities for students to develop lifelong learning habits. Of all the wonderful buildings that we have on this campus, none, I believe, is as important as the library. A library is the very heart and substance of a university. Without access [to] vast quantities of information, neither faculty nor student can do an accurate job. It is the foundation of research. It is the source of information, both old and new. It is a place for the ever-present challenge to dig for knowledge beyond that which is given in the classroom. President Gordon B. Hinckley, Chairman of the Board of Trustees 5.A Purpose and Scope DESCRIPTION AND ANALYSIS The Harold B. Lee Library and Howard W. Hunter Law Library are vital to BYU’s teaching and learning environment. Library programs reflect a deep commitment to the vision articulated by President Gordon B. Hinckley by providing opportunities for students to extend learning experiences beyond the classroom. Library programs are anchored firmly in university values and guiding principles as stated in institutional documents such as The Mission of Brigham Young University, The Aims of a BYU Education, and BYU’s Institutional Objectives. The Lee Library recently reviewed and updated its mission statement to ensure consistency with the university’s direction. The current library mission statement reads as follows: The mission of the Harold B. Lee Library is to assist individuals in their quest for perfection by providing information resources and services that support education, encourage learning, and promote spiritual and intellectual growth. The library accomplishes this by doing the following: Serving as a center of learning where students and faculty actively engage in study and research Using technology to extend access to library resources and services Selecting, acquiring, organizing, preserving, and providing access to scholarly information related to the university’s curriculum and research programs