The University Libraries are entering year four of Catalyst, the organization’s yearly approach to strategic planning. Anchored by three goals focusing on community, services, and partnerships, Catalyst drives meaningful change by creating a yearly opportunity to examine the needs of staff, students, and the campus community, then craft initiatives that address pressing topics and align with university priorities. Since the conception of Catalyst, the foundation laid out in the Libraries’ mission, vision, and values has served as a beacon toward action and innovation.

This year, Librarians and staff are collaborating on three projects that expand the work from previous years’ initiatives. Building from last year’s recruitment initiative, the Libraries will be focusing on employee onboarding processes, ensuring diverse talent is supported through their first year of employment. Recommendations in the Libraries’ Commitment to Inclusive Excellence will begin to be implemented this year and are expected to continue through 2026. Lastly, the Libraries will continue to focus on partnerships, building structures that support staff in pursuing external grants that further research and scholarship. This overview document outlines the structure of this year’s iteration of Catalyst.

STRATEGIC GOALS

• • Develop talent, resources, and experiences that facilitate an inclusive community.
  • Talent Management: Onboarding

    Redevelop the Libraries’ onboarding process for new employees into a year-long experience that exemplifies the Libraries’ values, supports retention and engagement, and streamlines processes across departments and staff classifications.

• • Transform the Libraries’ environment and user-centered experience to anticipate evolving modes of learning.
  • Libraries’ Commitment to Inclusive Excellence

    Continue to transform the Libraries into an environment that is welcoming, safe, and prepared to meet the individual needs of all learners by implementing recommendations in the Libraries’ Commitment to Inclusive Excellence for collections, people, services, and spaces.

• • Forge meaningful partnerships that foster affordability, ensure relevancy, and cultivate life-long connections.
  • External Funding

    Increase external funding by 10% by engaging with partners:

    1. University Advancement (UA) and the Office of Research and Innovation (ORI) to build resources that increase library staff and librarians’ capacity to pursue and obtain funding;*
    2. the ASPIRE office to submit a capital request for infrastructure enhancements.

    *This group will focus on ORI and Advancement

“Reflecting on the past four years of Catalyst, you can see how the work we have done is rooted in our foundations,” said Jerome Conley, Dean and University Librarian. “Each year moves our organization forward while keeping us committed to the values we hold.”

Each year, staff and Librarians commit their time to serving on initiative workgroups. The tasks outlined for this year, and the accomplishments of previous years, would not be possible without their dedication and innovation.

A detailed breakdown of the plan and the Libraries’ mission, vision, and values can be found at Lib.MiamiOH.edu/Strategic.

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