The mission of the NPS school libraries is to transform learning by creating collaborative and inclusive communities that foster inquiry and innovation.

Core Values: 

Inquiry:  Stance toward learning in which the learner is engaged in asking questions and finding answers, not simply accumulating facts presented by someone else that have no relation to previous learning or new understanding. Inquiry follows a continuum of learning experiences, from simply discovering a new idea or an answer to a question to following a complete inquiry process (Kuhlthau, Maniotes, and Caspari 2007, 1; New York City School Library System. 2010).

Innovation: Innovation is the process of putting new ideas into practice. Innovation is applied creativity. (Robinson 2011. Out of Our Minds: The Power of Being Creative. Oxford: Capstone).

Literacy: The ability to identify, understand, interpret, create, communicate, and compute, using materials associated with varying contexts. Literacy involves a continuum of learning in enabling individuals to achieve their goals, to develop their knowledge and potential, and to participate fully in their community and wider society (UNESCO, 2006).

Intellectual Freedom: The right of every individual to both seek and receive information from all points of view without restriction. It provides for free access to all expressions of ideas through which any and all sides of a question, cause or movement may be explored (ALA 2007).