Mission

The Tompkins County Public Library serves community residents at each stage of their lives by providing free and open access to the world's wisdom, knowledge, and information. The library, through its collections and professional services, fosters an informed, civic-minded community and contributes to the educational, cultural, and economic well-being of the County

Vision :

The library functions as a welcoming civic space and portal of opportunity freely open to people of all ages without discrimination in order to serve community needs for delivery of knowledge, culture, and enjoyment.The library strives to be a keystone of the community and a cornerstone of the educational system.  It provides innovative programs to bring people together to promote mutual interests and cultivate understanding through awareness of cultural heritage, arts, and sciences.

The library seeks to retain its identity as a repository for knowledge as well as materials unique to the community.  It continually evolves and updates strategies to access information especially in cyberspace.  It provides patrons with access to new tools for acquiring information and fosters development of skills for life-long learning.The library serves as a forum for the exchange of ideas by facilitating collaborations with educational institutions and community organizations.