Comments on: What Do Faculty Want from Librarians?

By: Marsha Miller

Marsha Miller — Wed, 20 Aug 2008 13:39:37 +0000

i spotted this topic last night while i was looking at my RSS feed. i’m just starting my 23d year here at Indiana State University — since 2004 the combined Reference/Instruction Dept. moved into a liaison model which has proven more successful than the old model — which didn’t really have a name ['business as usual'?]. also, we have FACULTY STATUS, so that helps a LOT — AND i heard years ago one of our profession’s big names say: use the terms LIBRARY FACULTY and TEACHING FACULTY — rather than ‘just plain faculty’ and ‘librarian’ — to further emphasize, subconsciously that we are ALL FACULTY — and i DO… we have campus missions tied to OUTREACH and ENGAGEMENT now, as well, and that has helped. however, one thing i’ve learned is, you can NEVER give up MARKETING: yourself, the library, services we’ve always had, new services, etc. The web site link above is actually to a flyer that I sent out to all my faculty in 2006 — i need to update slightly and send out again — also, i’ve been fairly ‘in your face’ over the years in terms of ‘what do you mean you didn’t include someone from the library in [campus initiative of your choice] and in some cases that has helped us get involved in the next initiative — HOWEVER in 22+ years of hindsight one of the most important things is to get the top library administrator to also be a bit over the top in pushing the library forward at EVERY opportunity — you can’t be just one voice among many in the library — and the higher ups will listen to the higher ups. we have a new president, so i’m going to see what i can do to help my interim dean push us forward.

also, i work on telling the TEACHING FACULTY that THEY have an increasing responsibility in getting their students to use & properly use library resources — that they have to be very clear and spell out more thoroughly than ever the types or even specific names of resources they want their students to use. going back to the ‘library as place for air conditioned books’ topic which first drew my attention last night — we are supposed to work WITH the departments to find out what books, films, etc . they want to order [we also order what we think will be needed of course] — but MOST do not respond to the ‘here is list of items from Baker/Taylor, what do you want’ — so they get that message from me, then after suitable interval, i tell them what has been ordered [with or without their input], then i tell them — most of the time — when things are in the library — and to use the tables of contents, links to amazon info, etc on the online catalog as they write their syllabi, assignment sheets etc. — AND i still get people who, having many other acadmic things on their mind, haven’t the slightest idea what’s out there, what they can/should do, what we can do, etc. — do i get a little tired of this? you bet! am i going to give up! NEVER!! NEVER GIVE UP/NEVER SURRENDER!!!! [Galaxy Quest] — the semester starts today — and i’ve already been calling, emailing, setting up ‘the librarian is in the building’ scheduling — trying to get people to add me to Blackboard, etc. etc. EVER ONWARDS!!!

http://library.indstate.edu
Marsha Miller

By: Lin

Lin — Sat, 26 Jul 2008 22:21:36 +0000

I almost abandoned my blog. Your post made me feel like writing something. I did: http://uptothecurve.blogspot.com/
Thanks for the good post and question! I like questions that makes my brain working.

By: Steven Harris

Steven Harris — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 23:09:52 +0000

Lots of other good articles about librarian/faculty relations in Library Literature under the descriptor: DE "College and university libraries--Relations with faculty and curriculum"

By: Barbara

Barbara — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 15:25:59 +0000

What a great question! I think we’ve done a great job of being self-effacing. To a large extent, what faculty would miss if it weren’t there is a good, well-organized collection and all the services that go with it, especially e-reserves and interlibrary-loan and database access when they want it. They also would be upset if they couldn’t assume that their students can get whatever help they need to use the library. But they don’t necessarily want it – it’s like having the lights come on when they flip a switch.

Some of the things we can do and want to do are not in their definition of “librarian.” When we did a faculty survey, a lot of faculty said their students weren’t prepared to do good research, then hastened to add “but that’s my job – not your fault.” I think we could go a long way toward making faculty want things from us that they don’t know we are willing and prepared to offer. But self-promotion is alien to library culture. When you perceive knowledge as a commons, not turf to be fenced off, it makes it hard to lay claim to expertise.

By: It’s Because Of The Students

It’s Because Of The Students — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 13:45:26 +0000

[...] What Do Faculty Want from Librarians? [...]

By: Librarian About Town

Librarian About Town — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 19:27:42 +0000

I too work at an academic library in CT. I find that one of the most productive ways to interact with faculty is through programming. If you can discover ways to collaborate with staff and faculty to organize cross-disciplinary events and workshops, you will learn lots about their needs in the process. As a bonus, you’ll form new relationships that enable you to promote services and instruction to the people that have the authority to put students into your library.

Good post. Thanks!

By: The Daily SLog » What Do Faculty Want from Librarians?

The Daily SLog » What Do Faculty Want from Librarians? — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 17:24:24 +0000

[...] http://acrlog.org/2008/07/21/what-do-faculty-want-from-librarians/ [...]