About Simpson Library

Simpson Library constitutes the knowledge center of the university — a physical and virtual manifestation of the institution's mission of connected, integrated, and engaged teaching, learning, research, and service. Specifically, the Library is a:

• space where people collaborate, gather, research, and share
• technology- and human-enabled engine, showcase, and catalyst of innovation
• dynamic repository of the university's teaching, research, and creative scholarship
• model of support and service that is responsive to the needs of diverse users and learners

Mission Statement

Simpson Library is committed to supporting the University’s mission of creating an environment where students, faculty, and staff share in the creation and exploration of knowledge in the development of their academic and professional interests and in practicing the habits of mind necessary for life-long learning. We fulfill this mission by:

• Building rich collections in a variety of formats in support of the university’s curriculum
• Developing the information literacy skills of students through classroom teaching and one-on-one interactions
• Preserving the university’s heritage through the Archives and Special Collections and making those resources available to researchers as digital resources
• Partnering with organizations on and off campus to further the university’s and the library’s missions and goals
• Providing a high caliber of service to all our users
• Providing a welcoming, comfortable, and attractive environment that is conducive to academic pursuits and various learning styles
• Meeting the academic needs of the larger Fredericksburg community
• Mentoring students and collaborating with faculty
• Contributing to the development of the library profession through scholarship and service and by inspiring students to pursue careers in the field
• Supporting faculty in their research and creative endeavors
• Identifying, developing, investing in and sustaining those practices and resources which produce the highest quality of service and support
• Promoting, celebrating, and preserving innovations in teaching, learning, and scholarship

Goals

• Create physical spaces within existing library facilities to support collaborative study, learning and research between students, faculty and staff and promote effective and interactive access to and use of information resources
• Develop the information literacy skills of students through classroom teaching and one-on-one interactions
• Create a digital repository for finding and sharing the intellectual creations of the University’s communities
• Cultivate the habits of mind and practice among students, faculty and staff for shared creation, use, organization, and dissemination of our collective information resources
• Expand relationships with other constituencies locally, regionally across the Commonwealth, and nationally, particularly among peer institutions
• Market the facilities, resources, and services of Simpson Library and academic technologies to our communities
• Build collections that support and enhance the university’s curriculum