Mission & What We Do

Mission Statement

The University of New England Library Services are central to the intellectual life of the University community. They cultivate a vibrant learning environment by providing access to scholarly collections and resources; by offering services that foster inquiry and independent, life-long learning; by providing welcoming, interactive spaces and infrastructure that enhance the educational experience and support the information needs of the University; and by preserving specific special collections.

Strategic Plan

UNE Library Services Strategic Plan supports the priorities laid out in Our World, Our Future: Strategic Priorities 2018-2023.

Read the UNE Library Services Strategic Plan 2019-2023(PDF)

Services

We are proud to support our mission by providing access to following services:

• Over 160 research databases covering all subject areas in the curriculum
• Over 160,000 journal titles
• Over 1.5 million book titles
• Over 60,000 film titles
• Individualized research assistance via chat, Zoom, email, phone, walk-in or appointment
• Library orientation and research instruction in the classroom or the library
• Access to and education on the use of unique primary source materials in our special collections
• Art Galleries featuring exhibits to support the curriculum and study seating
• Many required textbooks as e-books or on course reserve at the libraries
• Free interlibrary loan services
• Open access online publishing and scholarly communications support through DUNE: DigitalUNE
• Access to the contents of Maine’s public and academic libraries through MaineCat and the Maine Reciprocal Borrowing program.
• Open guest Wi-Fi network
• Dell PC and Mac desktop computers
• High-capacity printers, photocopiers, scanners, fax machines and microfilm readers/printers
• Expansive library hours to accommodate student study needs, including access to 24/7 study spaces.
• Over 60,000 square feet of library space, with group and individual study spaces
• 15 private/small group study rooms
• Employment opportunities for over 50 undergraduate and graduate students each semester

Library Contributions

Our librarians are active in state and national library organizations and support issues of importance to the field of library and information science through professional organization membership, leadership, advocacy and professional development. We participate in:

• American Library Association (ALA)
• American Library Association Leadership Institute
• American Library Association Policy Corps
• Association for Library and Information Science Education (ALISE)
• Association of College and Research Libraries (ACRL)
• Association for the History of Medicine (AAHM)
• Digital POWRR Institute
• EDUCAUSE, the association for managing and using information sources in higher education
• Ex Libris Users of North America (ELUNA) and International Group of Ex Libris Users (IGELU) Content Working Group
• FOLIO
• Greater Portland Alliance of Colleges and Universities (GPACU)
• Innovative User Group (IUG)
• IUPUI Assessment Institute
• Librarians, Archivists, and Museum Professionals in the History of the Health Professions (LAMPHHS)
• Library Orientation Exchange (LOEX)
• LYRASIS
• Maine Archives and Museums (MAM)
• Maine’s Larger Libraries Group
• Maine Library Association
• Maine Reciprocal Borrowing Program
• Medical Library Association (MLA)
• National Network of Libraries of Medicine/New England Region (NNLM/NER)
• New England Archivists (NEA)
• New England Library Leadership Symposium
• New England Museum Association
• North Atlantic Health Science Libraries (NAHSL)
• Society of American Archivists (SAA)
• UXLibs
• Westchester Academic Library Directors Organization, limited member (WALDO)