Re-visioning a Library Liaison Program in Light of External Forces and Internal Pressures

Liaison librarian roles have existed for many years within the academic environment. Initially taking the form of reference, instruction, and collection development – often with subject specialization – the activities of liaisons have adapted and evolved in response to changing library user needs. In response to such changing needs and internal pressures, the Health Sciences Library at McMaster University is in the process of re-visioning its liaison program. The result is a set of proposed models informed by the literature and institutional context which contributed to the selection of a new direction for liaisons. Key steps reported in this article include a review of the literature, rationale and context, a librarian survey, and final decision.     

Changing the Face of Reference: Adapting Biomedical and Health Information Services for the Classroom,Clinic, and Beyond

This article describes how the reference department at a large academic health sciences library evolved to address the clinical and research information needs of the parent organization without losing its close connections to the classroom and curriculum. Closing the reference desk, moving to on-call and house call models, designing positions such as clinical research librarian and basic biomedical sciences librarian, finding alternative funding to grow the department, providing technology and training to facilitate librarians' work, and developing programming for and taking advice from library clients facilitated efforts to create a relevant presence and solidify the library's place in the university community.     

The Library Liaison Toolkit: Learning to Bridge the Communication Gap

SUMMARY

SUNY New Paltz established a library liaison program in 2001, long after such programs were commonplace at many U.S. college and university libraries. The program emerged, not simply from a desire to enhance library service, but because library faculty came to view it as a multi-faceted mechanism capable of addressing multiple concerns. The new library-wide initiative demanded high-level communication skills, an in-depth understanding of library policies and collection development practices, and increased knowledge about individual departments and the college. A collection of campus information resources and liaison training sessions, collectively called The Library Liaison Toolkit, was developed to build liaison expertise in these areas.     

Build Your Program by Building Your Team: Inclusively Transforming Services,Staffing and Spaces

ABSTRACT

User feedback told the story of the largest and busiest campus library being dated in both physical form and programmatic function. Under the framework of a newly-developed strategic plan, library leadership initiated a comprehensive and inclusive assessment program to understand fully user needs by engaging users, campus partners, and, importantly, library personnel. Simultaneously, they embarked on a review of change management literature for guidance on implementing the required transformation. Informed by the change management philosophy of John Kotter, the library utilized the findings of the assessment program to craft and implement a sustainable transformation of its services, staffing, and spaces.     

Service matters: Single Service Point as a collaborative and professional learning initiative for service excellence

ABSTRACT

Changes and innovations in higher education learning and teaching acted as a catalyst for rethinking the way in which service was delivered to library clients at Australian Catholic University. The Single Service Point was piloted at one campus library in 2014 to develop a best practice approach to service delivery. The merging of cultures within the library environment was achieved through committed leadership, with staff agreeing on shared values and goals and applying the university mission. All staff were responsible for seeking solutions to challenges and becoming autonomous in their professional development and training. Overall, in a Single Service Point model, service efficiency, excellence, and quality increased through staff teamwork, contribution, and collaboration.