“The University of Florida is a comprehensive learning institution built on a land grant foundation. We are The Gator Nation, a diverse community dedicated to excellence in education and research and shaping a better future for Florida, the nation and the world. Our mission is to enable our students to lead and influence the next generation and beyond for economic, cultural and societal benefit.”
Demand for library facilities continues to increase, and users expressed clear expectations for Next-Generation environments that combine services, programming, instruction, collaboration, and specialized resources.
The Libraries will continue to provide flexible and integrated spaces and technologies, meeting user needs through effective library and information resources and services.
The George A. Smathers Libraries will leverage its unique competencies, expertise and role in the University to connect members of the UF community in their collaborative interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary efforts.
Creating a culture of transformative collaboration requires strong collegial relations across library units and a robust, engaged partnership with our university community.
To effectively anticipate and respond to diverse user needs, the Smathers Libraries will strive to balance between “just in time” and “just in case” collection development.
Acquired content must meet patrons’ immediate needs, while continuing to build distinct and targeted collections that satisfy the long-term goals of the University of Florida.
Acquisition of electronic resources must be balanced with the ongoing need for print and other tangible materials, particularly in our preeminent, special and international collections.
View the Digital Collections here.
The Libraries’ digital content and infrastructure provides vital services and resources to our local and global patrons. Its digital and digitized collections include unique contributions made by the University of Florida as a research institution, and provide digital access and hosting for the UF community.
By continuously transferring print archives and collections to digital formats and curating born-digital and digitized collections, the Libraries are enhancing the visibility and value of this content.
Maintaining and improving these activities requires a scalable and sustainable infrastructure which enables and supports library collections along with the academic community’s need to collect, store, use, and share data.
Inclusion Statement:
The George A. Smathers Libraries support intellectual freedom, freedom of speech and the open exchange of ideas and opinions that support the community building, learning and research efforts of the University of Florida. The Libraries welcome all members of our community, regardless of their race, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, disability, age, veteran status, ancestry, national or ethnic origin, or citizenship status.
Intellectual Freedom Statement:
The Libraries are committed to protecting and advancing intellectual freedom, as an important set of rights. Intellectual freedom includes the right to access the widest diversity of views and expressions, including those that are unorthodox, unpopular, or considered dangerous. When intellectual freedom exists, these views and expressions are accessible without the necessity of endorsement by other individuals, groups or institutions, and without the imposition of political, moral, or aesthetic views of another individual, group or institution. Intellectual freedom includes the right to free expression, where an individual or group may fully engage in the quality and diversity of thought and expression, and develop their own views and expressions without being coerced and/or inhibited. The right to privacy is essential for intellectual freedom.
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