Assessing liaison librarians : documenting impact for positive change

Like any other constituency of the academic community, librarians understand that assessment is an increasingly important topic in the twenty-first-century university. While some librarians are familiar with assessment, to many it is at best only vaguely understood. Some consider it just a trendy buzzword, while others believe that it applies only to specific programs and activities, such as bibliographic instruction and targeting of serials for cancelation. The truth is that assessment is neither a passing trend nor a limited activity. Rather, assessment will continue to be integrated into all areas of practice in academia, including the research library. Nearly all librarians will be involved in assessment activities to some degree. This includes librarians who serve as liaisons to academic departments, disciplinary researchers, and other specific audiences