Librarians set up shop onsite in Communication and Culture

By Alex Frazer-Harrison

Students and instructors in the Faculty of Communication and Culture who can’t get to the library needn’t worry anymore— the library is coming to them.

Two liaison librarians from the University Library are taking up residence in the faculty to help with research and information-gathering needs.

“ This is part of a strategy by the library to make a stronger connection to the teaching, learning and research needs of the faculty,” says Dr. Kathleen Scherf, dean of Communication and Culture. “I think this is an excellent program, which will really support inquiry-based learning. ”

Information literacy co-ordinator Shauna Rutherford, one of the liaison librarians, says many students and faculty don’t always have the time to go to the library. “Since there’s so much information available digitally, we can take our laptops over and have access to the same resources,” she says.
“ The idea is to make ourselves more accessible for people who have questions about research, and it’s easier if they are ‘tripping over us ’ in the hall.”

Adds Chris Thomas, the faculty’s second liaison librarian: “Our role is to see what we can do for faculty, graduate students and undergraduates. Even in this age of digital and the telephone, it’s easier when you have a familiar face nearby. ”

Scherf says the librarians will be a resource for students wishing to learn about research options.
“ If they’re slightly bamboozled by a certain topic, the librarians can give them best practices for navigating the information,” she says.

The University Library has placed liaison librarians in several faculties over the past few years, says Darlene Warren, assistant director of client services. It’s a way to create the personal connection among staff, students and librarians that is normally seen with branch libraries.

“ With more of our resources available electronically, it started to be clear there may be a way to provide this level of service without having to build a branch library, with the incumbent expenses,” she says.

In 2003, the Department of English was the first to pilot the “in-house librarian” concept when Mary Hemmings was assigned part-time to the department.

Since then, other liaison librarians have taken their services out to the Wolcott Lab in Science A (Don MacMillan and Jennifer Lee) and to the Faculty of Nursing (Alix Hayden). In 2004, the three wrote an article on their experiences for Issues in Science and Technology Librarianship, entitled “I wouldn’t have asked for help if I had to go to the library” (www.istl.org/04-fall/article2.html).

Scherf says it’s important to note that the librarians aren’t just available for faculty and graduate students. “They will have a presence in the daily learning of all our students. ”

Rutherford and Thomas are based in SS 307 Mondays and Wednesdays from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m., and Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9 to 11 a.m.