Bakalar Library Mission Statement

The Bakalar Library serves the students, faculty, staff, and other community members of the Longy School of Music of Bard College. It supports Longy’s mission to center music as social change and prepare musicians to make a difference in the world. The Library’s unique role is to help the Longy community foster a lifelong relationship with an evolving information landscape. Through face-to-face and virtual reference interactions and instruction, the Library Director and student library workers teach current and future musicians and educators the skills to navigate and grow those relationships in their performances, compositions, teaching, and beyond.

We value diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging, as well as the rights to privacy, access, and intellectual freedom for all Longy community members. Librarianship follows specific Professional Ethics to uphold and protect the rights of all library users. Regardless of “origin, age, background, or views,” students, faculty, staff, and other Longy community members will not be denied access to library services or materials. Following the Collection Development Policy, the library will provide materials and information presenting a variety of views. However, we will not purchase or provide any materials that incite, encourage, or otherwise endorse violence, hate, or exclusion towards human beings.