Values

Diverse Students Walking Together on CampusAt the University of Maryland College of Information Studies (INFO College), we strive to achieve our mission by embracing and living our shared values:

Service to Society
  • Educate and support all, including those who are underserved and marginalized
  • Empower individuals and communities to make informed decisions
  • Help organizations operate more effectively and efficiently
  • Produce exemplary scholarship in information science and related fields
  • Be agents of change for good locally, at the state and federal levels, and globally
Creativity, Discovery & Innovation
  • Stay curious and open to new ideas and experiences
  • Create constantly, valuing learning from failure
  • Connect to sources of inspiration while remaining grounded in rigor
  • Advance new foundational knowledge and scholarship of the interplay of information, technology, and people
Develop & Empower People
  • Create an inclusive, equitable environment where students, staff, and faculty with different identities, abilities, and backgrounds can thrive
  • Empower colleagues by being present
  • Support others’ ideas and autonomy
  • Support shared and collaborative governance
  • Maintain transparent communication and accountability
  • Identify and remove barriers to achievement
Collaborative & Multidisciplinary
  • Work with others to create bigger ideas and have a larger and longer-lasting impact
  • Seek exposure to alternative ideas and perspectives
  • Be a catalyst in bringing together different groups and disciplines
Quality & Continuous Improvement
  • Be aware of new best practices and developments in our field
  • Engage in ongoing critical comparison to identify and implement improvements, including issues of equity, diversity, and inclusion.
  • Frequently integrate new knowledge and assess its utility
  • Conduct a systematic assessment to inform evidence-based change
  • Develop relevant metrics, continually collect data, and measure trajectories
  • Exceed expectations of quality