Introduction

The University Dean of Libraries (UDL) and the Office of Library Services (OLS) were created in 1969 by Chancellor Bowker to lead efforts to pull together individual college libraries into an integrated system. Situated within the Office of Academic Affairs, OLS has undergone a series of iterations, evolving with shifts in the library and technology space, and, always, in response to the needs of the faculty and students of The City University of New York.

CUNY Libraries play significant roles in ensuring equity in student higher education, which contributes to CUNY’s overall capacity to serve as a transformative engine of socioeconomic mobility. From their very tangible role in promoting equitable access to information resources, including textbooks and course material at low- or no-cost, to their curricular contributions in teaching information and digital literacy and their vision of students as knowledge creators, CUNY Libraries help ensure equitable participation in our information-age democracy. In a complex information landscape increasingly reliant on data, OLS facilitates and leads the work of CUNY Libraries to achieve their evolving mission.

Based on a year-long process of information gathering and collaborative input, this plan sets a course for OLS over the next five years in service to CUNY Libraries. It is driven by three goals:

Goal 1: Integration

• Increasing library campus-based relevance

Goal 2: Innovation

• Supporting proactive efforts aligned with campus needs

Goal 3: Centralization

• Leveraging economies of scale and efficiency across CUNY

The following pages outline how we will take action towards these goals, and how we’ll know we made a difference.