Pathways to Possibilities: Graduate Liaison Partnerships

Many libraries have a strong librarian liaison program that serves as a communication bridge between the library and academic departments. Salisbury University (SU) Libraries not only has such a strong program, but also enjoys having reciprocal departmental faculty liaisons to the library. The presenters will share their many unusual and creative liaison efforts, e.g. Library Liaison Duties document, Information Literacy Partner of the Month program, Course Enhancement Grant program, homemade online MaRS book ordering program, formal departmental Information Literacy Agreements, etc. This roundtable explores the idea of strengthening partnerships with graduate departments through the liaison program. The discussion is intended to stimulate ideas for both new and experienced liaison librarians. The presenters will have structured questions and handouts. Some of the structured questions may include but are not limited to: Does your library have a departmental faculty liaison to the library? If so, what is the nature of the collaboration? What are the strengths and/or the weaknesses of the model that you have? “Some liaisons see outreach and engagement as equivalent to advocacy, library “flag-waving,” and sometimes “not my job.”” (Vine, 2018). How do your liaison librarians feel about this responsibility? How are your collaborations with graduate student campus partners different than those benefitting undergraduates? Do your liaison librarians feel equipped to be successful to be a liaison to a graduate program? What kind of professional development support do they receive? If your campus has a central Office of Graduate Studies, how is that relationship and in what ways do you, or would you like to, collaborate? If you are willing, share some collaborations for graduate students that failed and what you think happened. Do you encourage graduate students to seek help directly from their liaison librarian? How do they learn this is possible? What’s the most creative collaboration you have been involved with to benefit graduate students? Source: Vine, R. (2018). Realigning liaison with university priorities. Observations from ARL Liaison Institutes 2015-18. https://crln.acrl.org/index.php/crlnews/article/view/17244/1896