An academic liaison librarian describes their role at a university library that was facing budget cuts and staff losses. The arrival of a new principal and library director led to the creation of two new liaison librarian positions to develop information literacy programs, act as contacts between schools and the library, and help reprofessionalize the library. As liaison librarians, their responsibilities included collaborating with colleagues, delivering instruction, developing outreach strategies, and providing subject support across many disciplines, despite being only two people. They worked to raise the library's profile through teaching, communication, and new technologies. However, issues remained regarding their role within the changing library structure and landscape.

1. Academic Liaison Saves the
World?
Dr Alice Crawford
Academic Liaison Librarian (Arts & Divinity)
University of St Andrews

2. Once upon a time….
Our Library?

3. The Background
• Starved of cash
• Losing staff
• Lacking focus in key appointments
• Deteriorating building
Photo courtesy University of St Andrews

4. All Change!
• Arrival of new Principal
• New Director of Library Services
• Proposal for new or refurbished building
Photo courtesy University of St Andrews

5. 2 New Academic Liaison Posts!
• Develop new information literacy
programmes
• Act as a point of contact between the
Library and the Schools
• Represent the Library on University
committees
• Help re-professionalise the Library

6. The small print…
• Liaison with academic schools
• Development of information resources and services
• Working with colleagues in Collection Management to ensure that Library resources are exploited to maximum effect
• Delivering information literacy and research skills programmes
• Providing specialized information assistance/interventions
• Developing liaison, communication and user training strategies through participation in University Committees
• Supporting the general enquiry service
• Providing specialized subject support for designated subject areas
• Engaging in a full range of staff development activities, including presenting at conferences, writing articles and
engaging in scholarly activities
• Developing strategy & providing services relevant to research and teaching needs of the University
• Finding new ways to communicate with customers and promoting Library resources
• Assume cross Library responsibility for Official Publications and Reference Services
• Any other duties appropriate to the role

7. Our Key Skills…
• Teaching
• Communication
• Negotiation, marketing, persuasion
• Experience of academic libraries

8. What we have done
• Developed Information Literacy teaching
• Written WebCT modules
• Talked to people!
• Raised the Library’s profile
• Introduced Web 2.0 applications
Photo courtesy University of St Andrews

9. The problems
Photo courtesy University of St Andrews

10. There are only two of us

11. We need to know everything!
Arts & Divinity:-
• Anthropology
• Art History
• Classics
• Divinity
• Economics
• English
• Film Studies
• French
• German
• History
• International Relations
• Italian
• Management
• Music
• Philosophy
• Russian
• Spanish

12. Science and Medicine:-
• Astronomy
• Biology
• Chemistry
• Computer Science
• Geography
• Mathematics & Statistics
• Medicine
• Physics
• Psychology

13. Welcome to
our new
subject
librarians!

14. Other people doing parts of our
jobs
• Collections team
• Acquisitions &
Periodicals
• Electronic Resources

15. Library Staff Structure
Lots ofpeople!
Head ofCataloguing Academ ic Liaison Librarians
Lots ofpeople!
Head ofAcquisitions Electronic Resources Librarian
Some people!
Collections Team
Lots ofpeople!
Head ofCirculation
Deputy Director/Collections Manager Head ofSpecialCollections
DirectorofLibrary Services

16. Is the rug being pulled out from
under us?
• “Library Managers”
• Where do these leave us?

17. Other tasks…
• RAE
• UKRR
• Enquiry service
• Reference Collection
• Official Publications
• Friends of the Library

18. The Library Climate
• We’re all librarians now!
• What’s our role in a Google-dominated
landscape?

19. Where to now?
• Grasp the nettle of the
staffing structure
problem

20. Find somewhere to stand…
“Give me a place to stand, and I shall move
the world.”
(Archimedes)