Mission & Quick Facts

Mission

The mission of the Northeastern University Library is rooted in both the special role libraries play in education, knowledge, and society, as well as in the unique way that Northeastern University pursues learning and research, and how our university aims to have a positive impact in the world. We seek to maximize that improvement of our educational community, the communities around us, and the larger world beyond.

With this clear intent, we believe that our library cannot be static. We must constantly evolve, always reflecting on our present structures and actively building better foundations for the future. As we identify lacunae in our collections, gaps that reflect prior biases in emphasis and representation, or prospective gaps due to the emergence of new areas of understanding, we will adjust and correct them. As we discover new techniques for the creation and presentation of knowledge, or the use of that knowledge in the classroom or the research enterprise, we will swiftly implement new services to incorporate those techniques.

We will also take our uncommon strengths as a library and extend them as far and wide as possible. We will expand the signature relationships and spirit of collaboration we have built over decades with Boston communities to other communities in Northeastern’s global campus network. We will continue to develop our opportunities for experiential learning — the direct connection with materials and methods — in concert with our university’s faculty.

Most of all and throughout all of our efforts, we will seek new ways to ensure our library is welcoming to all. At its heart, our library supports individual and communal flourishing, which can only happen when everyone feels as if the library is their treasured, shared home.

Dan Cohen

Welcome to the Library

The Northeastern University Library provides the resources and services that will light up your interests, spark your creativity, and help you forge new discoveries. Welcome to your library. No boundaries: Robust online resources for discovering information and scholarly resources will help you access everything from fascinating historical collections to the latest in scientific research. Ask-A-Librarian on site or online to get the help you need from experts.

The heart of the Boston campus: Snell Library provides learning and collaboration spaces with the latest technology and tools that are changing the world around us. Learn about GIS, analyze and visualize your data, or use the Digital Media Commons (DMC), 3D Studio and DMC Recording Studios to express yourself through professional-grade 3D printing, video, audio, and design tools. Be sure to keep an eye out for engaging events and workshops that showcase scholarship at Northeastern and provide opportunities to grow your skills and expertise.

Club Snell is the affectionate name the community has given the library, one that captures the exciting role libraries have in supporting teaching, learning, and research at Northeastern. Whether you are on the Boston campus or connecting from abroad, we’re here to help you understand and innovate, propel your research, and advance your career. Connect, collaborate, and discover what’s possible!

Dan Cohen Signature

Dan Cohen
Vice Provost for Information Collaboration, Professor of History and Dean of the Library