SPEC Kit 349: Evolution of Library Liaisons · 163
VANDERBILT UNIVERSITY
Liaison Librarian Job Description
Liaison Librarian Job Description
At Vanderbilt, professional librarians’ job responsibilities are structured around the model of liaison
relationships. The liaison model includes the following eight categories. No one individual will
simultaneously have major responsibilities in all eight, and the relative priority of various activities will
change from year to year. Job descriptions will reference this overall structure, with updates annually to
identify and prioritize which components are emphasized in each person’s role.
Outreach/Communications Initiate efforts to seek out and make contact with library constituents
within and outside the university promote the services and resources of
the library while cultivating relationships with library stakeholders.
Example outreach activities include:
Develop relationships with university departments, institutes, or
sponsored programs when possible work collaboratively on
projects
Serve on university, college, or school-level committees
Campus Engagement Participate in campus life beyond the confines of the library’s traditional
spaces and services demonstrate the liaison’s investment in the larger
educational and cultural goals of the universities. Example campus
engagement activities include:
Attend concerts, lectures, athletics, and other campus events
Involvement with student activities, clubs or the Commons
Teaching and learning Promote information literacy by educating users on how to find,
evaluate, and use information effectively, ethically, and legally. Example
teaching and learning activities include:
Teach course-related and course integrated instructional classes
as requested
Create and develop instruction related materials such as
Research Guides.
Reference/Research Services Provide reference services to library users in a rapidly changing
information environment provide specialized research services to
liaison departments. Example reference/research services activities
include:
Provide instruction and assistance in using libraries and their
resources through tours, workshops, creation of handouts,
Research Guides, and/or tutorials assistance at a reference
point via chat, phone, or email
Assist library users with managing information
Content/Collection Development and Maintenance
Coordinate with the faculty and students of liaison departments to
select and acquire appropriate materials in the most usable formats for
the collection. Example content/collection development activities
include:
VANDERBILT UNIVERSITY
Liaison Librarian Job Description
Liaison Librarian Job Description
At Vanderbilt, professional librarians’ job responsibilities are structured around the model of liaison
relationships. The liaison model includes the following eight categories. No one individual will
simultaneously have major responsibilities in all eight, and the relative priority of various activities will
change from year to year. Job descriptions will reference this overall structure, with updates annually to
identify and prioritize which components are emphasized in each person’s role.
Outreach/Communications Initiate efforts to seek out and make contact with library constituents
within and outside the university promote the services and resources of
the library while cultivating relationships with library stakeholders.
Example outreach activities include:
Develop relationships with university departments, institutes, or
sponsored programs when possible work collaboratively on
projects
Serve on university, college, or school-level committees
Campus Engagement Participate in campus life beyond the confines of the library’s traditional
spaces and services demonstrate the liaison’s investment in the larger
educational and cultural goals of the universities. Example campus
engagement activities include:
Attend concerts, lectures, athletics, and other campus events
Involvement with student activities, clubs or the Commons
Teaching and learning Promote information literacy by educating users on how to find,
evaluate, and use information effectively, ethically, and legally. Example
teaching and learning activities include:
Teach course-related and course integrated instructional classes
as requested
Create and develop instruction related materials such as
Research Guides.
Reference/Research Services Provide reference services to library users in a rapidly changing
information environment provide specialized research services to
liaison departments. Example reference/research services activities
include:
Provide instruction and assistance in using libraries and their
resources through tours, workshops, creation of handouts,
Research Guides, and/or tutorials assistance at a reference
point via chat, phone, or email
Assist library users with managing information
Content/Collection Development and Maintenance
Coordinate with the faculty and students of liaison departments to
select and acquire appropriate materials in the most usable formats for
the collection. Example content/collection development activities
include:
