Vision
We build outstanding collections and promote exemplary services.
Mission
The Lillian Goldman Law Library supports the educational and scholarly pursuits of Yale Law School and Yale University. We embrace innovation and prudently incorporate relevant technologies in global legal research, scholarship, collections, and education.
We foster community through relevant, impactful outreach, and position the library as a centerpiece of the Yale Law School experience.
Core Value: Curiosity
We foster a culture of exploration and innovation, seeking and sharing knowledge creatively across the global community.
Core Value: Stewardship
We are responsible stewards of our environment and resources for ourselves and generations to come
Core
Values: Service & Professionalism
Our professional expertise supports the highest level of library services to anticipate, meet, and exceed the needs of our patrons.
Core Values: Appreciation & Respect
We value and respect each member of our community, endeavoring to foster diversity, inclusion, and belonging, in our library and beyond.
Strategic Objective: Sustainability
Implement and maintain the best systems and processes to provide the highest level of service to Yale Law School faculty, students, and staff.
Explore viable and innovative approaches to research support and education in the library context.
Build and maintain world-class digital and print collections that serve the Yale Law School and the larger legal and scholarly communities.
Preserve our collection for posterity in relevant, contemporary, and accessible formats. Ensure access to law library resources through robust, accurate description and organization that facilitate discovery, access, and use of information in open access environments when feasible.
Integrate environmental awareness and green practices into library operations.
Strategic Objective: Innovation
Foster an environment that encourages forward thinking and responsible risk-taking, not imposing unnecessary obstacles to innovation. Explore digital tools and strategies to enhance legal research and scholarship. Lead the development of emerging technical and professional standards and initiatives. Develop models for assessing new and existing responsibilities to optimize talent and use of resources.
Strategic Objective: Investment in the Public Good
1. Expand the law library’s engagement in the legal and library professions through advocacy in the areas of information policy and access to legal information.
2. Promote accuracy in and open access to legal information.
3. Acquire resources for an inclusive present and future. ensuring that underrepresented and marginalized groups and views are meaningfully reflected in the library’s collection.
4. Cultivate relationships and useful partnerships across the global research community.
Strategic Objective: Communication
Enhance communication with patrons to increase awareness and understanding of the value and utility of information literacy. Explore innovative methods to actively engage and promote our services and resources. Make imaginative and deliberate use of presentation space and media to inform patrons and enhance the library experience. Ensure staff understanding of policies and processes through clear communication of job duties, workflows, and operations.
Enhance internal communication by providing opportunities for open dialogue and feedback when appropriate during decision-making.
Strategic Objective: Our People
Foster a culture of engagement, collegiality, respect, teamwork, and accountability that values creative ideas and contributions of staff.
Further the development and welfare of staff by ensuring time and space for relevant professional development, thoughtful reflection, and wellness. Address potential safety and emergency issues within the library, developing protocols as necessary to meet patron and staff concerns.
Cultivate a welcoming and supportive environment for staff and patrons.
Goals
Promote and implement sustainable practices in the management of library resources, collections, budgets, and space with an emphasis on preservation, long-term accessibility, and environmental responsibility.
Cultivate a welcoming environment that embraces diversity, inclusion, and belonging, incorporating accessibility and creative use of space to meet the needs of our patrons.
Develop an archival program to preserve the papers of Yale Law School faculty and make them openly accessible for researchers and scholars. Explore collaboration and partnerships with select peer law libraries and non-profit organizations in collection development, preservation, and specialized library services. Invest in staff development and learning to develop a professional, collaborative, highly trained, patron focused, and service-oriented staff. Leverage technology appropriately to enhance access to legal information, improve user experiences, and increase digital literacy.
