BYU students and faculty are the key reason we exist. We will align our strategies, resources, and programs to provide the best possible outcome for them, always in a manner that explicitly supports BYU’s unique mission to assist individuals in their quest for perfection and eternal life.

Library Mission Statement

The Library seeks to foster the spiritual and intellectual growth of BYU students and faculty by providing access to collections, experiences, services, and spaces that nurture, hasten, and deepen that growth. At all times, we do so in a manner that consciously and consistently furthers BYU’s mission: to assist individuals in their quest for perfection and eternal life.

Library Strategic Objectives

Strengthen faith and promote spiritual development. Understanding that “the glory of God is intelligence, or, in other words, light and truth” (D&C 93:36) and that it is impossible to be “saved in ignorance” (D&C 131:6), the BYU Library supports faith-based teaching and learning on campus by providing resources and services that expand the intelligence of BYU students and support their lifelong education, thus helping them become more like their heavenly parents.

Aspirational Standard: Every patron comes away from an interaction with the BYU Library more centered in faith and more committed to the covenant path.

Provide extensive and convenient access to challenging, high-quality information. Continue building and managing collections that are broad, deep, and carefully curated according to the needs of BYU’s students and faculty. Ensure that collection materials are aligned with BYU’s curricular and research priorities and selected for both relevance and quality, and that they are dynamic and inclusive, promoting a sense of belonging among all members of the BYU community. Their makeup will change as needed to reflect the shifting needs of BYU—as do the formats in which they are provided and the programs that support their provision. Their content should challenge and expand the minds of Library patrons, but is made easily findable and accessible. All patrons are welcome and empowered—no matter their background, course of study, level of experience, or personal characteristics.

Aspirational Standard: Every patron who interacts with the Library’s collections comes away from that interaction with more and better information and with deeper intellectual confidence.

Support the creation of life-changing educational experiences. The Library will support BYU’s teaching faculty in providing inspiring and experiential learning to their students and provides such experiences directly to its student employees. The breadth, depth, and diversity of the Library’s collections, exhibits, services, and spaces will create unique opportunities for experiential learning. Its diverse and expert staff will make those opportunities available to students in a manner that both stretches and encourages them.

Aspirational Standard: All BYU students have experiences with the Library that change them and deepen their spiritual and intellectual growth.

Develop services and spaces that facilitate experimentation, discovery, and creation. Throughout the Library will be a wide diversity of services and spaces that foster quiet individual study, collaborative group work, the creation of objects and content, research consultation, access to collections, etc.. A large and increasing number of the Library’s collections and services will be made available online, making them available to students and faculty remotely and at any time of the day or night. At the same time, a multitude of unique resources and services within the building will continue to make visiting and spending time in the Library a worthwhile, even essential, part of the BYU experience. Library collections, services, and spaces will be available and accessible on an equal basis to all members of the BYU community.

Aspirational Standard: No BYU student can imagine graduating without having made regular use of the Library’s services and spaces.

Build and support a world-class Library faculty and staff. We will continue hiring exceptional people and will sustain a challenging, nurturing, and supportive work environment that focuses on patron service without neglecting the development and fulfillment of employees. All employees will be (and will feel themselves to be) equally valued and respected; abusive or harassing behavior will not be tolerated and will be dealt with expeditiously and fairly. To the degree possible, all employees will be given opportunities for growth, leadership, and service, and all will contribute both directly and indirectly to BYU’s Mission and Aims.

Aspirational Standard: BYU Library employees cannot imagine wanting to work anywhere else and are uniformly recognized by colleagues and patrons alike for the quality of their work and the depth of their contributions.

2023 version approved by AC on March 30, 2022