Dear University of Missouri Students, Faculty, and Staff,

Welcome back to the University Libraries as we embark on the second half of this academic year! This marks my first full semester at MU, and I’m thrilled to be here with all of you.

As your Vice Provost, my primary goal is to cultivate a welcoming, collaborative, and engaging space for everyone in the Mizzou community. I firmly believe that libraries should reflect and serve their communities, and it’s my hope that through new partnerships and collaborations across campus, we can support every voice at the University of Missouri.

I’d like to take a moment to emphasize the important role libraries play in research. While many think of us primarily as a student-facing service – and we absolutely are – we also have a significant impact on research across campus. Moving forward, I am committed to building on the strong foundation of MU Libraries’ existing support for students, while also broadening our services to better support our faculty and researchers.

Recently, MU Libraries has significantly expanded our resources, including access to the Elsevier Freedom Collection. Additionally, we’ve signed two “read and publish” agreements that allow MU researchers to publish their work open access at no additional cost. Open access increases the visibility and impact of research, and I’m excited about the opportunities this will bring to elevate MU’s research output.

Whether you’re a student seeking a quiet place to study, a professor looking for resources to enhance your class, or a researcher tapping into the expertise of our subject librarians, I encourage you to explore everything MU Libraries has to offer. We are here to support you in your academic journey.

It is an exciting time to be a part of the University of Missouri community, and I’m honored to join you. There is much work to do, but I am confident we will achieve great things together. MIZ!

Sincerely,

Kara Whatley

Vice Provost for University Libraries

University of Missouri