Introduction from Dean Paul Bracke

It is with great enthusiasm that I present the Wayne State University Libraries’ Strategic Plan for 2025–2028. This document represents the culmination of extensive collaborative work involving library staff, university stakeholders, and campus partners. It articulates our vision to be the heart of academic and intellectual excellence at Wayne State University while establishing a clear roadmap for the future of our libraries.

The strategic planning process began in May 2024 with the formation of a dedicated Steering Committee comprising representatives from across our libraries. Working with consultants Mark Puente and Sue Baughman, we engaged in a comprehensive data-gathering effort that included focus groups, surveys, and interviews to identify our strengths, challenges, and opportunities.

Through this process, we distilled ten major thematic areas that ultimately informed our five strategic goals:

• Cultivating academic success through revitalized liaison programs, innovative assessment mechanisms, and strategic partnerships
• Strengthening research support by fostering collaborations, enhancing information literacy, and coordinating outreach
• Improving resource accessibility through digital preservation, technology implementation, and collection management
• Optimizing physical and digital spaces to create secure, collaborative, and welcoming environments
• Developing a healthy organizational culture based on transparent communication, inclusive decision-making, and professional growth

These goals align closely with the university’s strategic plan, “Our Moment in Time,” and the Wayne State Prosperity Agenda, which focuses on accelerating mobility for our students, empowering health in our urban neighborhoods, and fueling innovation for our competitiveness.

Through this alignment, our libraries are positioned to effectively support Wayne State’s mission while adapting to evolving needs in higher education and contributing to the university’s impact on our city, state, and region.

I am proud of how this plan frames our work within the context of our core values: academic freedom, access, adaptability, collaboration, community engagement, customer service, diversity, equity and inclusion, integrity, intellectual freedom, and stewardship. These values will guide our implementation efforts and help us measure our success.

We will establish steering committees for each goal to ensure accountability and progress, while creating implementation updates and processes that connect our daily work to the strategic plan. Throughout this implementation phase, we will maintain a commitment to shared governance and transparent communication.

This strategic plan is not just a document, but a living framework that will help us transform data into meaningful growth, align our work with the university’s mission and priorities, and ultimately impact the experiences of our community.

I invite you to join us in our journey as we work together to realize the vision outlined in these pages. The Wayne State University Libraries are poised to strengthen our position as essential partners in advancing knowledge, fostering student success, and enriching our diverse community.

-Paul Bracke
Dean