SPEC Kit 349: Evolution of Library Liaisons · 37
Librarians engaged with reference, research support, and instruction also have responsibility as liaisons. This is described
in job descriptions and recruitment materials.
Librarians who do not work in public service related positions are not necessarily assigned liaison roles. Several catalog
librarians have liaison roles but most do not.
Librarians with primary assignments in technical services (acquisitions, cataloging), systems and web services are less
likely to have liaison duties (but a few do).
Librarians within technical services or IT focused departments (among others) are no longer tasked with public liaison
roles. Liaison assignments are primarily based on formal position descriptions that note liaison work as a primary activity
and often denote what department/area the librarian will liaise to. This change reflects an increased specialization of
roles within the research library.
Many are selected by virtue of background or subject expertise. We are branching out to include functional expertise as
well, for example, copyright, metadata, images, electronic resources, etc.
Members of the Research and Information Services division, including specialized libraries. We have assigned liaison
duties only to public service librarians.
Most have these in their job description. A few with functional librarian responsibilities (such as cataloging) have
volunteered to liaise to a department of interest.
Most were selected in 2007. As staff leave, we seek others to replace them from around the library. Most liaisons
hold either collections, area studies, or public service functions. Most functional specialists do not also hold specific
liaison appointments.
Only librarians in the department of Information Services are assigned liaison responsibility.
Only the subject area librarians are liaisons.
Public services faculty librarians have liaison duties in job descriptions.
Public services librarians in reference departments have liaison responsibilities.
Reference &Instruction librarians have liaison responsibilities in their job description. Librarians in other departments
volunteer to take on liaison responsibilities.
Research support librarians have a primary role of liaising with faculty and students. Tech services and library IT
librarians are not assigned these roles.
Responsibilities and qualifications for liaison services are included in job posting.
Selected based on subject expertise or academic degree, previous liaison experience, or department need.
Selection is based on subject expertise and interest on the part of the librarian.
Self-selection as part of the reorganization. Some were assigned to cover gaps, particularly in the sciences
and engineering.
The liaison program grew out of the reference program in the 1980s, which had subject expertise as a hiring factor.
Now we hire based upon knowledge, expertise, and skills currently needed.
The majority of librarians with liaison responsibilities have them as part of their broader public services portfolio.
However, there are also librarians who have liaison responsibilities who work in other areas. They are often selected
based on language abilities, subject background, experience, interest, etc.
Librarians engaged with reference, research support, and instruction also have responsibility as liaisons. This is described
in job descriptions and recruitment materials.
Librarians who do not work in public service related positions are not necessarily assigned liaison roles. Several catalog
librarians have liaison roles but most do not.
Librarians with primary assignments in technical services (acquisitions, cataloging), systems and web services are less
likely to have liaison duties (but a few do).
Librarians within technical services or IT focused departments (among others) are no longer tasked with public liaison
roles. Liaison assignments are primarily based on formal position descriptions that note liaison work as a primary activity
and often denote what department/area the librarian will liaise to. This change reflects an increased specialization of
roles within the research library.
Many are selected by virtue of background or subject expertise. We are branching out to include functional expertise as
well, for example, copyright, metadata, images, electronic resources, etc.
Members of the Research and Information Services division, including specialized libraries. We have assigned liaison
duties only to public service librarians.
Most have these in their job description. A few with functional librarian responsibilities (such as cataloging) have
volunteered to liaise to a department of interest.
Most were selected in 2007. As staff leave, we seek others to replace them from around the library. Most liaisons
hold either collections, area studies, or public service functions. Most functional specialists do not also hold specific
liaison appointments.
Only librarians in the department of Information Services are assigned liaison responsibility.
Only the subject area librarians are liaisons.
Public services faculty librarians have liaison duties in job descriptions.
Public services librarians in reference departments have liaison responsibilities.
Reference &Instruction librarians have liaison responsibilities in their job description. Librarians in other departments
volunteer to take on liaison responsibilities.
Research support librarians have a primary role of liaising with faculty and students. Tech services and library IT
librarians are not assigned these roles.
Responsibilities and qualifications for liaison services are included in job posting.
Selected based on subject expertise or academic degree, previous liaison experience, or department need.
Selection is based on subject expertise and interest on the part of the librarian.
Self-selection as part of the reorganization. Some were assigned to cover gaps, particularly in the sciences
and engineering.
The liaison program grew out of the reference program in the 1980s, which had subject expertise as a hiring factor.
Now we hire based upon knowledge, expertise, and skills currently needed.
The majority of librarians with liaison responsibilities have them as part of their broader public services portfolio.
However, there are also librarians who have liaison responsibilities who work in other areas. They are often selected
based on language abilities, subject background, experience, interest, etc.
