Contact: Maridith Geuder
Mississippi State will be adding $1 million over each of the next three years to its university library budget with the goal of achieving Association of Research Libraries status as soon as possible.
The Starkville institution's financial commitment of state-provided funds will do much to position its libraries for ARL membership consideration, said Dean of Libraries Frances Coleman. Membership is based on an index that takes into account number of volumes held, volumes added during the previous year, operating expenditures, and the size of permanent staff, among other indicators, she added.
Currently, no Mississippi library is among the approximately 120 in North America holding membership in the non-profit organization. Based in Washington, D.C., the association works to shape information policy development and supports innovation and improvement in research library operations.
"ARL provides a benchmark in terms of faculty and resources," Coleman said. "Achieving membership will enhance opportunities for faculty and staff and improve our ability to support the university's teaching, research and service missions."
MSU's libraries include Mitchell Memorial, the primary facility, and on-campus branches at the School of Architecture in Giles Hall and the College of Veterinary Medicine at the Wise Center. Other holdings are found at MSU-Meridian Campus and other off-campus locations.
"The university administration is strongly committed to the important role the libraries play in Mississippi State's missions of teaching, research and service," Coleman said.
Harvard, Michigan, Texas, and Virginia are some of the universities whose libraries have ARL status. Public libraries in Boston, New York and the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C., also carry the designation.