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Mission Statement of
THE SPECIAL COLLECTIONS LIBRARY
University of Michigan
The Special Collections Library within the University Library holds in 
common with the rest of the library system the dual mission of supporting the research and educational functions of the University of Michigan. In particular, the Special Collections Library has responsibility for library items that require special care and should be maintained in their original format. The special care required includes a safe environment, specially formulated access, and trained staff who can acquire, conserve, mediate, and interpret the collection. The University of Michigan Library was one of the first institutions in the United States to recognize this need when it organized a separate rare book unit in 1913.
To these ends, our mission is:
1. To facilitate scholarly research by providing access to primary source material, including individual items of great importance, personal and institutional archives, and subject collections of sufficient depth to support original research.
2. To enhance the educational process by providing access to our collections and interpreting our holdings to the University and the community through exhibits, classes, tours, lectures, and publications.
3. To safeguard part of the cultural heritage of our civilization in its original physical form by acquiring and preserving for future generations items representative of the world's written and graphic culture.
4. To assist the library's development and hospitality functions by using our public space and the attraction of our collections for exhibit and outreach activities.
5. To assist the University Library's collection overall by providing secure access to items of significant monetary value or that otherwise need special care.
-- September, 2002
