SPEC Kit 349: Evolution of Library Liaisons · 69
Increased workload and reduction in support staff have created an increase in workload. Liaison librarians need a new
vision for the future in order to prioritize their goals and activities, and determine where reskilling is needed.
Library reorganization
Need to make library faculty role more prominent/relevant to academic missions of university.
New administrative library structure was put in place to eliminate redundant activities.
New librarian hires
Opening a new, 21st-century library designed to be a technology-rich “research platform”
Organizational changes within the library, which included the merger of two subject librarian/liaison discipline groups
(Science/Engineering and Humanities/Social Sciences/Education) and the posting for a new director to serve over the
newly merged units.
Reduced staffing
Significant areas of liaison were not working well, inhibiting our understanding of faculty needs and requirements that
were changing rapidly.
The “subject” model alone did not address known and emerging gaps in information needs.
This change was made by the current Head of Research, Instruction &Outreach to better reflect the role of the liaison to
faculty and students.
To refine and better articulate the program and address issues such as annual reporting, training, outreach, and
marketing. To improve skills and abilities of liaison librarians.
Tri-Agency Open Access Policy on Publications, CIHR research data policy
We had been organically changing how we deliver services so it was time to formalize those changes.
29. Who was involved in making the decision to change liaison responsibilities? Check all that apply.
N=61
Library administrators 59 97%
Supervisors to library liaisons 54 89%
Library liaisons 47 77%
Other, non-library organizational administrators 7 12%
Other participant 8 13%
Please specify the other participant in the decision making process. N=8
A committee participated in creating the liaison program, including the Scholarly Communications Librarian and others
who envisioned working with the liaisons to accomplish their area’s goals.
All staff
By liaisons and HSCL leadership serving on committees and partnering with groups in the Health Science Center,
we were able to keep abreast of changes in missions, goals, academic programs, etc. that required the addition of
“functional” liaisons to meet info needs.
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