SPEC Kit 349: Evolution of Library Liaisons · 71
Less front-line service, less item-by-item selection of materials, more focus on data consultation services when
appropriate to research needs.
Liaison librarians no longer serve shifts on the reference desk, and the Liaison Services Department handed off
responsibility for some campus engagement activities (e.g., the library’s participation in new student orientation) to a
library standing committee.
Liaisons are available via appointment, email, and sometimes chat. They no longer staff a service point.
Liaisons do not staff the service/reference desk. They are available for research assistance through chat, email, phone, or
in-person (appointment or walk-in).
Librarians no longer staff a reference desk. Implementation of more automated collection development processes.
Moves in the direction of less hands-on, more automated collection development. Many liaisons are taking on roles
involving data management and open access.
No longer serving on the desk, focusing on consultations and embedding within departments. Reduced collection
development spending and time spent on buying materials. Focus on filling faculty requests and supporting
departmental needs more closely.
No reference desk staffing for academic department liaisons far less focus on budget and resource management,
collections infrastructure, shared instruction. For Learning Commons librarians, this has led to increase in areas served.
None of the above would be a better answer. Our liaisons have not shifted responsibilities but we are planning a major
re-examination of our program, so this may come to pass.
Over the past year, liaison roles related to acquisitions have changed. The most significant change was a shifting away
from liaison librarians selecting individual monographs, to a PDA-preferred approval plan without slips. This was in part
done to redirect staff time to other priorities, such as new liaison roles.
Plan is for less time to be devoted to collection development and more time devoted to digital scholarship.
Recently, we began hiring more functional positions: data librarians, scholarly communications librarian, etc.
Reduced hours at the reference desk
Restructured Collection Management’s monograph approval plan and shifted more towards demand-driven acquisition
to create more aligned collections and to enable capacity of liaisons to integrate new roles. In reference and branch
libraries, increased service desk staffing by non-librarians to create more availability of liaisons for consultations.
Review of approval books
SCAS technical services shifted to centralized processes. The organization has hired a collections strategist to help
change overarching principles and daily practice.
Shifting away from reference desk duties and one-shot instruction, reduction in collection management tasks. This
allows liaisons to have a greater role in upper-level instruction and consulting, where subject expertise is essential.
Shifting to two-tier reference so liaisons can concentrate on more in-depth consultation.
Since fall 2014, the libraries no longer have reference desks, and liaisons are not required to serve on the information
desk, which replaced reference. We are trying to streamline a lot of liaison duties whenever possible by using technology
and staff assistance.
Some liaisons no longer have regular reference desk duty.
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