History
Strategic Plan
History
The Noreen Reale Falcone Library has been in operation since the College began in 1946. At that time it was housed in Le Moyne Hall on 254 East Onondaga Street along with the first classroom and the first headquarters for Le Moyne College. Through the efforts of Rev. Andrew L. Bouwhuis, S.J., the nucleus of the Library was formed with 5,000 volumes. The Library has been in its new location at the southwest corner of the campus since September 1981. It was named for alumna Noreen Reale Falcone in 1998.
| 1946 |
College founded. Library located at Le Moyne Hall. First librarian appointed--M. Catherine Kenna. |
| 1947 |
Rev. Theodore J. Cunnion, S.J. appointed Library Director. |
| 1948 |
Library moves into second floor of the new Administration Building (presently Grewen Hall). |
| 1951 |
Library houses 16,500 volumes. |
| 1955 |
Growing collections expand into second floor addition. |
| 1960 |
Rev. Andrew L. Bouwhuis, S.J. appointed Library Director. Over 40,000 volumes contained in collections. |
| 1963 |
Dr. Taisto J. Niemi appointed Library Director. Library obtains former cafeteria on first floor for more space. |
| 1964 |
Audio-visual services established. 1970 Library acquires three classrooms in Administration Building as annexes. Library increases holdings to 98,402 volumes. |
| 1974 |
Expanded collections stored in cafeteria basement. |
| 1976 |
OCLC (Online Computer Library Center) computer terminal to this system installed |
| 1979 |
Part of collection moved to Firehouse for storage. New library site dedicated June 14. |
| 1980 |
Groundbreaking ceremonies held April 22. Construction begins on new Library. |
| 1981 |
Library's collections moved to new building in August. Sadly, Dr. Niemi who dreamed and planned for the new library for many years, passes away two months after the Library opens. |
| 1982 |
James J. Simonis appointed Library Director. Fund raising completed. Art gallery named after Jerome Wilson who was chief of the fund raising campaign for the new Library. First personal computer arrives, purchased by J. Simonis for his office. |
| 1987 |
Professional staff expands from 4 to 5 librarians. |
| 1992 |
Ms. Theresa Santillo receives Loyola Medal for 40 years of dedicated service to the College. |
| 1993 |
Dr. Tanya Popovic retires as Librarian Emerita. |
| 1994 |
Professional staff expands from 5 to 6. Automated library system installed. |
| 1996 |
First floor renovation provides for Academic Support Center’s move to the Library, adds multimedia lab, offices, and consolidates public services. |
| 1997 |
Theresa Santillo retires after 45 years as Assistant to the Director of the Library. Student service award in her name established. |
| 1997 |
Michael J. Falcone family of Syracuse offers naming gift for the Library in honor of Noreen Reale Falcone. |
| 1998 |
Noreen Reale Falcone Library is dedicated on May 9. |
| 2000 |
Tatyana V. Popovic Memorial Archives and Special Collection is built with funds donated by Gina (Popovic) and Robert Goldhammer. |
| 2001 |
Muserlian Instructional Lab is constructed on the first floor. |
| 2003 |
Wireless computer network installed. |
| 2007 |
Robert Johnston appointed Director of the Library after the retirement of Jim Simonis. |
| 2008 |
Information Technology Help Desk service moves to the Library. |
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Strategic Plan
Our Mission
The Library, in support of Le Moyne College's mission statement and its call for the pursuit of academic excellence and the education of the whole person, provides equal access for students, faculty, and staff to the information resources and services required to fulfill their education and research needs while respecting their right to privacy.
Our Vision
The Library will actively support the educational goals of Le Moyne College. Through a process of continuous review and improvement of staffing, collections, instructional programs, technology, services, and procedures, the Library will be the central source of information for the Le Moyne College community and an active participant in information resource sharing.
Strategic Goal 1: The Library will provide access to the most extensive collections possible.
The Library will change its emphasis from the ownership of materials to information access. Physical acquisition will be balanced with subscription to information in electronic formats. New paradigms in publishing make it possible to obtain vast collections never before within the reach of the small college library. These expanded opportunities for access to information electronically call for greater financial resources because of both the transitional period of overlap between the print and electronic formats and because of the higher cost of the added resources contained within these [subscription-based] electronic services. While the Library expects that the cost of electronic collections will continue to decline as vendors move to a cost model based on FTE students, the savings realized will be insufficient to meet the need for additional resources.
Strategic Goal 2: The Library will provide superior service to a diverse group of patrons who come from a variety of environments.
The Library serves a diverse group of patrons. While the majority of undergraduates live on campus, a significant number commute from surrounding communities. Many hold jobs in the community. Graduate students are an even more diverse group. Most hold full-time jobs. Some commute considerable distances to their classes at Le Moyne. In order to provide superior service the Library must first understand the needs of this user community and secondly communicate its policies and procedures clearly and consistently to this user community. Being totally committed to user satisfaction, the Library will explore any and all alternative means of delivering services in order to increase the accessibility of all resources and the convenience of use.
Strategic Goal 3: The Library will implement user education programs that encourage early and continuing success in the utilization of Library resources and services.
Information literacy is a set of cognitive abilities that allows an individual to recognize when information is needed, to identify the type of information needed, and to have the ability to locate, evaluate, and use effectively the needed information in a variety of contexts and formats. When they have completed their degrees, all Le Moyne students will be information literate.
Strategic Goal 4: The Library will provide facilities and equipment conducive to productive and creative work and study.
The increasing use of technology to provide access to information means that the Library will continually review user needs and adapt accordingly. Greater emphasis will be placed on providing space for group interaction and instruction and the facilities and equipment needed for electronic access to information.
Strategic Goal 5: The Library will have a highly proficient, dedicated, and professional staff. It will be appropriate in size to carry out its mission and goals and reflect the diversity of the Le Moyne Community.
Carrying out the Library's mission and goals depends on having the appropriate number of staff and on having a staff with the appropriate skills, qualifications, and experience that can function as a team. The Library's changing needs for staff will not be met just by adding staff. They will also be met by reassigning, retraining, and reclassifying staff. The Library will utilize all possible resources to insure this process is successful and to help staff achieve their professional and personal goals.
Strategic Goal 6: To be at the forefront in the delivery of information, the Library will have the technological infrastructure to support its mission and goals.
The Library's presence on the Web is integral to its delivery and development of value-added, virtual information services. A technological campus infrastructure that can provide both the means and the security of a virtual library must be in place for this to happen.
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Page compiled by Inga H. Barnello. Last update: February 23, 2009