3 Association of Research Libraries Research Library Issues 291 2017 Editor’s Note M. Sue Baughman, ARL Deputy Executive Director and RLI Editor While not a new topic, many conversations are occurring about the roles of library staff and the changing nature of their work in support of research, teaching, and learning. Boundaries between specific functions or departments within the library continue to change as library employees grapple with issues of their roles in new service models. Staff are encouraged and expected to work more collaboratively and this is happening in a number of ways. In these conversations the word “holistic” is often used to describe what is intended in this changing work. According to the online Merriam-Webster dictionary, holistic means “relating to or concerned with wholes or with complete systems rather than with the analysis of, treatment of, or dissection into parts.” The term “integrated” is also frequently used to express this vision for the current and future states of librarianship. Three articles in this issue of Research Library Issues explore different models and approaches to holistic librarianship and the convergence among librarians in a variety of roles. These articles speak to how three different libraries are transforming what has traditionally been more fragmented or specialized service. The Cornell University Library uses a decentralized approach to scholarly communication that means library liaisons are often dealing with multiple and competing priorities. Realizing the challenge this model creates for advancing scholarly communication goals, library staff formed a Scholarly Communication Working Group charged to raise awareness of issues, tools, methods, and services for scholarly communication. In their article, “A Team- and Project- Based Approach to Advancing Scholarly Communication Initiatives across the Library,” Ashley Shea, food and agriculture librarian, Gail Steinhart, scholarly communication librarian, and Jim DelRosso,
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