Hi Karen.
Below is a description of the duties of a typical Liaison Librarian
at the University of Toronto.
Some of my subject liaison colleagues in the large main campus
library have more of a challenge connecting with faculty because
they are not associated with a particular department. As you know,
the Art Department here still has it's own departmental library (an
ever-increasing rarity) which is situated amongst faculty offices
and graduate seminar rooms. I see faculty every day all day, and
yes, much of it is in a social context, LOL.
I frequently talk to faculty about their research activities and
courses and encourage them to suggest publications for the library.
Similarly, I inform them when something new and interesting in
their particular field is available.
This interaction is both formal (I attend faculty meetings) and
informal (I attend some of their social events) and is CRUCIAL to
the development of the library and it's collection. Social media is
not involved (formally). Larry-the-Poodle is FaceBook friends with
some faculty.
In addition to providing them with subject-specific embedded
information literacy sessions for their classes, I also assist
faculty in mounting materials on BlackBoard (our virtual
learning environment and course management system), answering
inquiries about copyright, etc.
Also, any difficult Fine Art related queries that are received by
library staff in other campus libraries are forwarded to me.
Hope this helps.
Cheers!
Margaret
Responsibilities of
Faculty Liaison Librarians
In general terms, the Faculty Liaison Librarian is the primary contact person for
faculty in their designated subject area.
Faculty is understood to include all academic hires,
including
lecturers, research associates etc. The
Faculty
Liaison Librarian will be listed as the primary contact person on
the web and
in publications such as the Faculty Resource Guide.
It is important to clarify that although there
is a primary
contact person for each subject area, all librarians will continue
to provide
public service in all subject areas taking the opportunity to
teach or provide
reference service etc. in any subject they choose, and referring
only if
appropriate.
Responsibilities:
1. As
contact person for a subject area, the Faculty Liaison Librarian
will respond to faculty requests. Questions
may be referred to staff on the
Contact List, with appropriate follow-up
to ensure that the faculty member received the help that was
needed.
2. Liaisons
will regularly contact key faculty members and departmental staff: Chairs of Departments or Directors of
Programs, Centers etc., as well as with Directors of Graduate and
Undergraduate
Programs and others.
3. The
Faculty Liaison Librarian will make contact with new
faculty within weeks of being identified as the contact
person
in the Chief Librarian’s welcoming letter, offering assistance and
letting the
faculty member know they are available when help is needed.
4. The
Faculty Liaison Librarian will be active in other
outreach activities.
Each individual will select what they feel is most
appropriate and manageable
in their own situation. In other words
it is expected that individual Faculty Liaison Librarians will be
proactive in different ways.
5. Faculty
Liaison Librarians will meet regularly to:
* explore options for proactive outreach – discussing why as well
as what to do
* find solutions to practical how to
questions e.g. “What do I say when I phone the new faculty
member?”.
On 9/12/2012 2:44 PM, McKenzie, Karen wrote:
[log in to unmask]"
type="cite">
Hello all.
In the ongoing
effort to introduce positive change to the AGO library,
we’re looking for guidance on best practices around the role
a liaison librarian might fill in the museum setting. I’d
be grateful to hear about examples of liaison librarian
duties that are typical in an academic art library setting,
including – Are these carried out formally or informally?
How crucial are they to the academic art library? What’s
the role of social media in liaison duties?
Museum librarians
do liaise – a lot -- but it’s work that’s often
unacknowledged and typically informal, even (at the risk of
stereotyping ourselves) social in nature. Those
laissez-faire days are gone and now the museum library must
be quite clear about its core values, and how precisely it
supports and enables the museum’s mission.
Thanks in advance
for your replies.
Karen
Karen McKenzie
Chief Librarian
E.P.Taylor
Research Library & Archives
[log in to unmask]" width="54"
height="54">
Art Gallery of
Ontario
317 Dundas St. W.
Toronto, ON M5T
1G4
Canada
PH 416-979-6660
FX 416-979-6602
E
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www.ago.net
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Margaret English
Librarian
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University of Toronto
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M5S 3G3
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