Librarians’ Meeting
August 19, 2014
Present: Kasbohm, Boehnke, Blum, Proehl, Emery, Kochan, Lambert, Sullivan, DeLaney
Barbara - Library Liaison Program
Barbara gave an update on the liaison program (see attached for description) and went into detail
about the specifics of what librarians can or should be doing as liaisons. The purpose of the
program is to improve communication between the library and departments.
Librarians should try to become familiar with the needs of departments. All contact should be
documented. Remind them of our existence. Invite them to events and go to their events.
Develop an understanding of department needs. Learn about the collection in your area. Provide
information about the collection. Contact new faculty. Ask liaisons to send requests and review
requests in a timely manner. Send Choice cards to Barbara if you don’t have time to review
them. Invite faculty to promotion ceremony. Suggest that you want them to talk to their
colleagues about library needs. Encourage them to round up orders from colleagues. Remind
them this is considered ‘significant service’ and we’re trying to meet their needs. Money in
allocated budgets is mostly for books and DVDs, not databases.
Librarians are expected to meet with department liaisons at least once per semester. If you
haven’t heard from the dept liaisons within a month, contact them. Make them aware of our
streaming video collections if they are relevant to their subject areas.
If the dept liaison is on sabbatical or off campus for a length of time, the dept should appoint
someone to fill the position temporarily. Alternatively, librarians can ask the faculty member
who will be taking their place.
Kris: Create an email folder documenting communication so we can say we did our part.
Recommend faculty document communication as well for their annual reports or tenure
documentation.
Barbara: Go to faculty office hours if faculty is not responsive to make a more personal
connection. Learn about their research. Certificate/standalone programs are under other
departments. If these depts. Are concerned, you can meet with them separately or ask them how
it is working out.
Jessie – Embedded Librarian Program
Jessie provided an update of the Embedded Librarian Program.
Embedded Librarian Program is being placed within the larger information literacy program.
There is an outline for a new website covering all info lit offerings (see attached). Online
embedded form allows faculty to choose how they want librarian to interact with class. A
libguide is under construction collecting online tutorials for use by embedded librarians.
Created definition of program on provided handout (see attached).
Jessie emailed all faculty who are teaching an online course to see if they were interested in an
embedded librarian. 11 courses/14 sections will have emb lib this semester (as of 8/20/14).
Jessie, Kelly, Matt, and Jeff are embedded. Courses will have a wide variety of involvement
from librarians.
If anyone wants the results from SoftChalk tutorial, Kelly has them.
Jessie – Orientation
Orientation comes to the library Friday, August 22, 2014. The entire Freshman class will be here
at the same time: 11:10-11:40. Please get to station by 10:40. Everything should be done by
noon. Everyone has been assigned an area.
The student services fair is in Science Hall on Thursday from 8:00-1:30. There is a scavenger
hunt Thursday from 1-2pm, 2 items are library-related.
Jessie is getting candy/popcorn.
The orientation guide 2014 is available on the I drive.
The Library Liaison Program
Faculty Liaisons
The role of departmental liaison to the library involves significant service to
one’s department. In their role as departmental liaisons, faculty members
regularly communicate information about their department and its courses to
the library, as well as regularly communicate information about the library to
their colleagues. Faculty liaisons also assess and forward departmental
purchase suggestions to the librarian liaison in an effort to ensure all areas of
the department are covered appropriately in the library collection.
Librarian Liaisons
In their role as liaisons, librarians communicate information about the library,
its services and collections to faculty. Liaison librarians are familiar with the
academic programs they support, allowing them to suggest ways the library can
provide assistance. Librarian liaisons also work with designated faculty liaisons
to review and select library resources to enhance learning and teaching, while
remaining within the allocated program budget.
The liaison program provides a formal channel for communication and the submission
of orders in the hope that this will promote dialog about departmental needs and
budgetary realities. It does not preclude faculty contact with other library staff. To
facilitate the dialog all liaisons, both from the faculty and from the librarians, meet
as a group once a year.
Library Instruction
Information Literacy
The Canisius College Library Instruction Program supports both the Canisius library and college
mission statements that seek to offer outstanding undergraduate, graduate and professional
programs distinguished by transformative learning experiences. The Instruction Program is
supported by committed and innovative instruction librarians who seek to inspire information
literacy as a lifelong skill among our students. We support our faculty as they infuse information
literacy into their class assignments and instruction. In this way, the Library Instruction Program is
committed to providing transformative teaching and learning experiences for our college
community.
Here is what we offer:
Library Instruction
The librarians would love to work with your class on Information Literacy Skills and
college level research skills. We will work with you to develop a plan geared towards
your assignment and area of study. If you are interested, please fill out the form at
http://library.canisius.edu/requestaclass.
Embedded
Librarian Program
- Pilot
An embedded librarian provides better access for students to the librarian and the
library’s resources in the online space for your class. Any class that uses Desire 2 Learn
can take advantage of working with an embedded librarian. If you are interested, please
fill out the form at http://library.canisius.edu/embedded-librarian-form
Information
Literacy
Express Online Pilot
The library offers a series of online tutorials in soft chalk. These are self
based resources that you can assign to students. Can be assigned in it’s entirety or
based on specific needs your student have.
Course Guides
The library creates custom Libguides tailored to specific classes upon request. We
include relevant databases and other quality sources to help students successfully
execute a research assignment, with your course assignments in mind. If you are
interested, please fill out the form at http://library.canisius.edu/libguide-request-form
Book a Librarian
Program
For Individuals - The Book a Librarian Program is a good option for any student who
would like assistance with a research project. An appointment can be made to work one
on one with a librarian to locate appropriate databases, develop research questions,
narrow results, and choose and cite quality sources. If you know of a student who is
struggling or working on a thesis, please encourage them to contact us for a Book a
Librarian appointment.
Embedded Librarian Program
What is an embedded librarian?
An embedded librarian provides better access for students to the librarian and the library’s
resources in the online space for your class. Any class that uses Desire 2 Learn can take
advantage of working with an embedded librarian. Please contact fill out the form at
http://library.canisius.edu/embedded-librarian-form so we can discuss the needs of your class and
discuss what the library has to offer.
Why do my students need an embedded librarian?
Embedded librarians facilitate student research and the promote use of library resources. The
librarian can:
 Offer individual attention to students during the research process
 Serve as a familiar contact for library related questions
 Work with students to resolve access issues
 Provide specially designed content for the course, including customized guides, and
discussion posts with suggested resources, tutorials, and search strategies.
What does the embedded librarian need from you, the instructor?
The librarian will need access to your Desire 2 Learn course. Librarians can add library-related
links, guides and information to your course. We can also participate in discussion boards, share
tutorials or send notices on helpful library concepts to students at appropriate times during the
semester. It is also very beneficial if the instructor promotes the library and the embedded
librarian. Announcing that a librarian will be a part of the class and be available for questions is a
great first step. If you hear from students needing help with research, refer them to the librarian.
How do I get started with the embedded librarian program?
If you are interested, we would love to hear from you. Please fill out the form at
http://library.canisius.edu/embedded-librarian-form and we will contact you to discuss the
possibilities.
Dear Faculty;
My name is Jessie Blum and I am a Librarian, Reference and Instructional Services with the Canisius
College Library. We are launching an Embedded Librarians program to help professors infuse
information literacy into your classes and assist in teaching these concepts and skills to your
students, teaching students how to to find, evaluate and use information effectively and ethically.
One of our wonderful librarians can work with your class by adding library-related links, guides and
information to your Desire 2 Learn course. We can also participate in discussion boards, share
tutorials or send notices on helpful library concepts to students at appropriate times during the
semester.
We already have many resources you could use. Please take a look at our library guides called
LibGuides. We could even create a guide specific to your assignment and class theme.
We can also makes ourselves available to your students through an email or a posting in your class
discussion board. Topics we could cover in your class include:
·
Search Strategies (keywords, advanced search techniques)
·
Using Library Resources
·
Using Search Engines Effectively
·
Evaluating Results
·
Differences between source types (i.e. journals/magazines/newspapers)
·
Ethical Use of Information / Avoiding Plagiarism
If you would like to work with an Embedded Librarian, please fill out the form at
http://library.canisius.edu/embedded-librarian-form by August 13, 2014.In the event of too many
applicants, preference will be given to classes with a heavy emphasis on research. Please contact
me if you have any questions.
Sincerely;
Jessie Blum & the Embedded Librarian Instruction Team (Jessie, Kelly, Matt & Jeff)
Jessie Blum
Librarian - Reference and Instructional Services
Canisius College, Buffalo NY 14208
716-888-8404