Departmentally Embedded Librarianship as a Way to Enhance the Traditional Library Liaisonship Program

By Kathryn L. Waggoner, M.L.S., M.A.T.Senior Librarian

Grand Valley State University

Newman Library at Virginia Tech

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Lesson 1: Don’t be scattered across several buildings.

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Lesson 2: A good location, where people will see you, is important.

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Lesson 3: Adequate space in a consistent location is important.

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Lesson 4: The librarian must actually spend time in the departmental office.

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Lesson 5: Embedded librarians must not be given more than they can handle.

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Lesson 6: There were concerns about librarians “going native.”

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Lesson 7: Embedded librarians need to be somewhat outgoing.

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Advice for starting an embedded librarian program:

Watch out for elitism. Address possible divisiveness right

from the start. Respect all librarians. Choose a department that has an

affinity with the library. Find out what your clientele value.

Hatcher Graduate Library at University of Michigan

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Lesson 1: Don’t be scattered across several buildings.

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Lesson 2: It takes time.

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Lesson 3: Adequate space in a consistent location is important.

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Advice for starting an embedded librarian program: Find departments that have a lot of

instruction needs and an adequate instruction facility.

Find a few faculty who are supportive.

Find innovative, energetic librarians with a subject background.

Think about the field before starting a program.

Advice for starting an embedded librarian program: Choose librarians who can join the life

of the department in a useful way. Make sure the Field Librarian can

teach research methodology in the discipline.

Look at departments with graduate students or faculty who would really avail themselves of a program such as this.

Advice for starting an embedded librarian program: Have trust from the supervisor. It will

not work with micromanagement. It will be easier for a Field Librarian to

cover just one area. It will be easier where a department

may need or want some hand-holding. Choose patient, friendly, flexible

librarians who are comfortable doing outreach and are open to new ideas.

Zumberge Library at Grand Valley State University

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