Ontario Library Association Super Conference 2006
Session 1005
Communities of Practice for Subject Librarians – Making Connections across the
Profession to Enhance Interaction and Knowledge Sharing
Presented by: Linda D. Lowry, Business & Economics Librarian, James A. Gibson Library, Brock
University. Email: llowry@brocku.ca Tel: 905-688-5550 Ext. 4650
Subject librarians can be found in most academic libraries, but many lack relevant subject knowledge in
their assigned subject areas. In some areas, such as business librarianship, this lack of subject background
can be a challenge, particularly for new librarians, many of whom are “accidental business librarians”.
Results of a research study on the communication, professional development, and information seeking
behavior of new and experienced academic business librarians reveals the benefits of interaction with
other business librarians including access to years of collective knowledge, yet many lack the opportunity
to do so. The creation of communities of practice for subject librarians has many benefits for both
individual librarians, their employers, and the profession as a whole.
Selected References
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Lesser, E.L. & Storck, J. (2001). Communities of practice and organizational performance. IBM Systems
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