Mission Statement

The ongoing mission of College of San Mateo Library is to provide equitable and welcoming access to Library information, services, and spaces; to strengthen and empower our college community; to foster a climate of inclusion, curiosity, and intellectual exploration that puts the needs of students first. (10/13/2021)

CSM Library's previous Mission Statement (12/06/06)

The mission of College of San Mateo Library is to provide human, material, and technological resources to support the mission, goals, visions, and values of College of San Mateo. Our primary intent is to vigorously support, supplement, and complement the academic, workforce development, and lifelong learning goals of our teaching and learning community by providing on-site and remote access to information resources, appropriate study spaces, up-to-date resource access and sharing technologies, and student-centered information competency instruction that integrates and celebrates the diversity of our community.

• To support the College's vision of preparing students to be informed, active, and engaged citizens in a global society.
• To reflect the diversity of our community and support its wide range of information and lifelong learning needs.
• To develop, maintain, and provide access to appropriate collections of print and non-print resources, both current and retrospective, and to assist users in obtaining needed information and services from external sources when necessary.
• To promote information competency and assist and instruct users in making full and effective use of our collections, technology, equipment, and services.
• To organize and maintain collections and equipment in accordance with nationally recognized standards and practices so as to encourage use and ensure cost-effective management.
• To exploit resource sharing opportunities in other local, state or national networks.
• To provide a staff adequate to develop and maintain modern library services at levels in accordance with national standards and best practices, enabling effective delivery of library services and achievement of the Library's student learning outcomes.
• To provide facilities of adequate size and quality to house the collections, resources, services, and technologies of the Library, and to provide adequate space for users and Library personnel.
• To maintain a close and meaningful working relationship with users (students, faculty, staff, administrators, and community members) to assure effective development and monitoring of Library resources, services and technologies consistent with the objectives and programs of the College, and to keep the College apprised of the Library's needs.
• To serve as a selective U. S. Government Depository Library.
• To provide an archival depository for the records, publications, and other materials derived from the ongoing work of the College and the District.
• To foster cultural awareness and appreciation of the book and other information resources and/or technologies.
• To provide cultural and informative public service programming.

(12/06/06)