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Last Update
19 June 2013
Introduction
See also Advocacy | Blogs | Digital classroom | Embedded librarianship | Information needs of users | Media literacy | Teaching library users
Library liaison programs aim to establish good working relationships with clinical and fulltime faculty, and to build partnerships for teaching and library instruction, among other initiatives. Librarians who list liaison as part of their regular professional activities are responsible for providing a range of information support in research, teaching and information services including response to users' questions about newer library services. In the digital era, the notion of liaison is changing somewhat, or is at least shifting online. However, many of the traditional notions of liaison with faculty and other user groups transfer readily to the online spaces in which our users work, collaborate and socialize. Moreover, many librarians can now easily supplement their in-person consultations through the use of online media such as instant messaging & engagement software, blogs and wikis. Further, depending on their users' modus operandi, librarians can use other social media to inform their faculty about services, programs, workshops and resources at the library. In addition, liaison librarians may be asked to work with their users for training, literature searching, consultations in research and in building collections that support specific programs. Liaison librarians are expected to seek to understand the information needs of their user communities and assigned subject areas, and to represent those needs appropriately on academic and library committees, accreditation panels and in the larger community.
Program goals in liaison
- To identify faculty perceptions and informational needs
- To increase use and awareness of the library' services and collections
- To improve the quality of the library's serial and book collections
- To provide consultation services to academic disciplines
- To communicate and interpret library policies and strategic planning for users
- To further the inclusion of information literacy into learning and practice
- To monitor information technology topics and bring relevant technologies to the attention of liaison groups
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