44 Association of Research Libraries Research Library Issues 291 2017 of services and collections will lend itself to greater advocacy for and recognition of the role of the librarian in the research process. All academic librarians should seek out ways to deliberately intersect areas of expertise, to try new services, events, projects, or programs that combine these intersections, bringing forth high levels of expertise in different areas into juxtaposition. Implementing these practices can facilitate the discovery and production of more scholarly output and projects with greater impact on the university community: “In fact, many times there is a pivotal moment in our encounters with library patrons or colleagues that hinges on the possibilities that are opened by this collaborative moment.”11 It is in these moments that librarians build further connections and improve the work everyone does. Staffing Intersections Administrators, supervisors, and department heads should work together in synchronizing and sharing their departmental goals, examining how these goals complement and intersect with each other. This will facilitate more collaborative work in a meaningful way that feels sanctioned, and will help move departments, and hence the entire organization forward. Shaping departmental goals that are both aligned with the larger library and the academic institution as a whole, as well as across departments, will also help cultivate this holistic environment. Naturally, there are times when there is no need to collaborate but, even in recognizing this, it is beneficial to observe and listen to the type of request or work that needs to be done and what might make it more complete and helpful for all stakeholders. Drawing upon and using connections between what liaison and special collections librarians do and what they have, regardless of budgetary constraints, helps fortify how they assist and partner with their community.
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