History:

Staley Library is named for three generations of the Staley family of Decatur in recognition of their generous financial contributions and service.

Who was the first A. E. Staley? Augustus Eugene Staley built a commercially successful soybean processing plant in Decatur in 1922. His facility advanced the process of running beans through an expeller to remove the oil. The leftover residue was sold to the feed industry for use in commercial feeds or to farmers, who mixed the meal with other ingredients as a protein supplement

Mission:

To enhance students' ability to understand, pursue and satisfy their own research needs, by stimulating their critical thinking and problem solving capabilities, both for their academic careers and for life-long learning.

To advance the University's academic programs and scholarly processes through instruction and collaboration.

To provide the physical and virtual resources and learning spaces that support the academic research needs of students, faculty & staff.