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Understanding the Library

Overview  

The University of Manchester Library (UML) is the third-largest academic library in the United Kingdom and a key part of the country’s largest single-site university. Its collections exceed 10 million items, including 1.4 million Special Collections housed across eight sites on campus and two off-site storage facilities. These collections span over five millennia, encompassing every medium used for written communication, from cuneiform clay tablets to email archives.  

Visitors and Engagement  

UML welcomes over three million students, researchers, and visitors each year across its eight sites, supporting learning, research, and public engagement. The Library’s vision and strategic direction are outlined in the Imagine2030 strategy, reinforced by an operational plan that fosters collaboration with staff, the University, and civic, national, and international partners.  

Staff and Structure  

The Library is made up of approximately 320 staff and comprises five Directorates:  

The Library operates a Distributed Leadership Model, comprised of the Library Management Group and Directorate Management Teams (DMTs). Teams are empowered to make decisions and experiment to improve services for our many communities, guided by our shared Imagine2030 vision.  

The Library Management Group includes:  

Key areas of Library-wide activity and support 

All staff support and influence key areas of activity through several Leadership Team Library-wide groups, overseeing activities such as:  

All line managers are supported by the Staff Management Forum (SMF), which provides regular opportunities for managers to develop their management skills and share their expertise and experiences.  

Ways of Working  

The Library Working Together Charter outlines the way we work together across the library. This informs team level charters which set the team direction and ensure consistency in the way we work together through effective communication and appropriate use of technologies.  

Key information for staff spaces   

Key information for all staff relating to Library spaces (e.g., how to report an issue with a Library space, information on the Crawford House Library staff hub, and how to book staff working spaces and meeting rooms) can be found on the Spaces information page 

Working Culture  

The Library’s working culture is built upon the University’s core values of knowledge, wisdom, humanity, academic freedom, courage, and independent spirit. We’re an ideas-led workforce, encouraged to think big, be brave, innovate, and push boundaries. We respect and empower each other while challenging ourselves to deliver the best possible services and support to our students, academics, and professional partners. We take our wellbeing seriously, embedding this into our ways of working, and support each other to grow and develop.