By Kirstyn Radford, Research Support Librarian, University of York. Delivered at the New Professionals Training Day, Friday 13th June 2014, at the University of York.
4. Let’s consider our
relationships with other
professionals in our
institution
4 different scenarios
based on real-life
interactions with
academic departments
Discuss in your group
then share your thoughts
with the room
No definitive answers!
9. In conclusion:
You can’t please all the people all of the time!
But you can maximise your chances of getting a
positive outcome
Hinweis der Redaktion
In a ‘liaison librarian’/’subject librarian’ role, it can be very easy to get a reputation as someone who’s always saying “no”:
That book you’ve ordered won’t be ready to borrow this week
We don’t subscribe to that journal
I can’t meet your head of department tomorrow
There’s no room for an extra 50 students in my workshop
…etc etc
Social sciences academics are easy to stereotype: ‘critical thinkers’ ie not in touch with the real world, more interested in disagreement than agreement, unwilling to compromise. Perhaps unfair, but most HE librarians will recognise this element of resistance to pragmatic solutions…
I don’t know all the answers, but in 20 years as a liaison librarian, I’ve encountered most of the problems
Scenario 1:
Usage data and student enquiries suggest that students are not confident using the Library catalogue and associated e-resources. But drop-in workshops are not well-attended, and it’s been difficult to get lecturers to take the problem seriously.
Friendly lecturer: “I’ve got a spare week in my ‘research methods’ module later this term. Would you like to come and talk to students about using the Library for their dissertation?”
What questions might you want to ask the lecturer before preparing for the session?
What do you know about the students?
What do you know about the module?
What do you know about the dissertation?
What can you offer in the way of training?
Considerations:
Don’t assume too much! Can the lecturer or your colleagues tell you whether these students have had any timetabled training before? What did it cover? How successful was it? You don’t want to waste students’ time by reiterating what they already know, but equally, you don’t want to start from too high a level.
Is the module explicitly designed to prepare students for the dissertation, or a general overview of research skills? Does it include any assessed activities, and could ‘information skills’ be assessed in some way?
What is the timescale for the dissertation? e.g. have these students had to submit a title proposal already, or are they still at the “choosing a research topic” stage?
Practicalities: has a classroom been booked for your sesssion already? Who do you need to communicate with to ensure it meets your requirements? (Hands-on or demonstration? How much time have you got? Any other invited speakers?). Your lecturer may not be the best-placed person to help you, if departmental administrators are normally responsible for room bookings, timetables etc.
Scenario 2:
Library managers are concerned that journal price rises are unsustainable, and there’s no money for new subscriptions. Your boss has asked you to send a list of current subscriptions and costs to your departments, and consult them about which ones to cancel.
How could you try to make the process as painless as possible?
Do lecturers understand the context?
How user-friendly is your information?
Do you have a deadline?
What will happen if everyone ignores your consultation? Or can’t reach an agreement?
Considerations:
Is it possible to save lecturers’ time by starting with a proposal: “This is what we think is the best thing to do, and here’s why”, then simply ask recipients to agree or disagree?
Put as much time as you can into preparing your info before you send it out, to pre-empt questions. E.g. expand abbreviated titles, add links to e-journal websites, show recent history for subscription rates and usage data so that readers can see trends etc.
Make it clear what the consequences will be if consulted parties don’t respond, e.g. “If nobody objects by 30th June, these journals will be cancelled”.
When people can’t agree, explain the consequences of no decision, e.g. impact on other budgets, no progress re releasing funds for new subscriptions etc. It’s possible that you may have to concede defeat, and live with the consequences for another year… (that’ll show ‘em)
Scenario 3:
Students often complain that not all their recommended textbooks are available in the Library in time for their coursework deadlines. Library staff blame lecturers for not giving enough notice. Library managers are prepared to spend money addressing this problem, and have invested in new reading list software to streamline processes.
You have been invited to attend a staff meeting in an academic department, to demonstrate how lecturers can let the Library know about the textbooks they need by entering the details using the reading list software.
Famous professor: “At my last institution I could tell the librarian what books I wanted for my teaching, and they would be on the shelves by the end of the week. I haven’t got time to learn this new gadget”.
How might you encourage the professor to engage with the process? Can/should you meet her halfway?
Considerations:
Can you offer to do it with them the first time? Or direct them towards a training video or how-to-guide?
Is there an established member of staff in the dept who could act as an advocate, or even a buddy for the professor to help them learn the ropes?
Can you provide special care on the first few occasions? e.g. an email update to let them know their list has been received and processes are underway, some usage data at the end of the module to reassure them that students are doing the reading, a phonecall before the next module starts to ensure that they’re confident to carry on without further help, etc
Scenario 4:
You are the named Library contact for several academic departments, and encourage lecturers as well as students to ask for help whenever they need it.
A departmental administrator phones you. “Professor Smith says he can’t get into this new database that you’re promoting on the Library website. Is it broken already?”
How much help can you offer?
If Professor Smith hasn’t got time to speak to you himself, can you work out what’s gone wrong?
Do you need to sit down together and look at it?
Does this enquiry present an opportunity to get other messages across?
Considerations:
Before going any further, test the database yourself, or ask your tech team for advice. Could be a genuine problem!
Is there scope for utilizing Skype or remote shared desktop software to see exactly what your professor’s doing without having to meet in person? Or emailing screenshots back and forth could be a slightly lower-tech solution…
If the administrator is very protective of the professor’s time, offer to meet him/her one-to-one instead, to look at the database together? Admin staff have the potential to become good advocates for the Library within the dept.
Have you got any training materials which cover the resource concerned, which you could share with the professor and his administrator? Or even invite him to a forthcoming workshop! Could be a good way to increase departmental awareness of the training you offer.
It can be really beneficial to talk these problems through with colleagues, and share experiences. Librarians from other institutions can bring a different perspective which is useful.
Sometimes you may have to be the bad guy, but very few people hold grudges… Most staff in HE/FE are well-disposed towards librarians, and will recognise that you’re trying to be helpful, even if you can’t deliver exactly what they want.
