About the Library
Mission Statement
The mission of the CSI Library is: "To provide information resources and services that meet the
needs of the College community and support the teaching, lifelong learning, and service functions
of the College."
The CSI Library is located on the main floor of a relatively new (built in 1996) 24,000 square
foot modern facility which houses the various collections, the campus open computer lab,
group study rooms, special collections room, CSI Information Literacy Center, and the campus
Copy Center. The Library is open 76.5 hours per week, seven days a week, during fall and
spring semesters, 56 hours per week during summer semesters, and 42.5 hours per week
during interim periods.
The Library mainly serves the needs of CSI students (both on-campus and off-campus/distance),
faculty, staff, and administration. Some students taking classes from the four-year universities
that offer courses/degrees on the CSI campus also use various library services (mostly reserves
and interlibrary loan). The Library is also open to community members (to browse the collection,
read magazines, login to the computers with guest login, and check out materials if they have
a courtesy library card). Electronic resources can only be accessed by CSI students, faculty,
staff and administration (per license agreements with various vendors).
The Library’s collection includes books, reference works, journals and magazines, videos, DVDs,
music CDs, books-on-tape, maps and pamphlets. Currently registered students, College of Southern
Idaho faculty, and college staff maintain borrowing privileges at the library.
Any adult who is a permanent resident of the Magic Valley may purchase a one-year courtesy card
at the front desk. The Library is open to all visitors for reference use.
More than 211,000 people visited the library in FY 2006 and more than 18,000 physical items were checked
out of the library (this does not include online resources).
The CSI Library is a member of the American Library Association (ALA),
Idaho Library Association (ILA), OCLC Western Service Center,
Association of College and Research Libraries (ACRL),
Library Administration and Management Association (LAMA), Library Information Technology Association (LITA), Association for Library Collections & Technical Services (ALCTS), LOEX, Pacific Northwest Library Association (PNLA), and CODI/Horizon. The library has started offering many electronic
resources and services, including: e-books, virtual reference,
e-reserves, online journals,
online bibliography management system,
downloadable audiobooks, etc.
CSI Library Values
- Responsiveness to our customers’ needs
- Quality, effective, efficient and courteous service
- Quality information resources
- Leadership
- Innovation
- Lifelong learning
- Intellectual freedom
- Information literacy
- Convenient and equitable access
- Creativity and flexibility
- Diversity
- Social responsibility
- Patron confidentiality/privacy
- Collaboration
- Open communication
Vision
Library vision statement: The CSI Library is committed to excellence in service that supports the mission of the College, as well as enables and encourages lifelong learning.
- We will anticipate and respond to the diverse information needs of our students, faculty and staff
- We will provide convenient access to information resources that support, encourage and enhance learning and teaching
- We will foster information literacy and responsible citizenship
- We will provide leadership in the effective and efficient use of current and emerging information technologies and services
- We will promote communication, collaboration and partnerships
- We will promote diversity, and freedom of inquiry and expression
Strategic Plan