The mission and objectives of CISSL reflect the dynamic research community of Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey. Rutgers University is committed to internationalizing curriculum and exploring research on global issues. CISSL will focus on scholarship initiatives critical to school libraries across national and cultural boundaries. CISSL research and practice acknowledges the important role that information technology is playing in shaping learning processes, and the importance of the instructional role of school library media specialists in the creation of information age schools. Particular attention will be given to the information workplace readiness. Emphasis is on:

• inquiry based learning
• information literacy
• information seeking and use
• evidence-based practice
• educational success
• workplace readiness

In essence, CISSL is a microcosm of Rutgers University: simultaneously a center of intellectual life, a locus of research activity expanding the boundaries of knowledge, a resource for professional development, a resource for school library media specialists throughout the nation and the world, and a key player in the growing global network of scholarship and its practical application in school libraries worldwide.