Modelsof embeddedlibrarianship presentation_final_mt61509

Models of Embedded Librarianship

P r e p a r e d a n d P r e s e n t e d b yD a v i d S h u m a k e r a n d M a r y Ta l l e y

A n d F r i e n d s

W a s h i n g t o n , D C J u n e 1 6 , 2 0 0 9

Funded by a Research Grant

from the

Special Libraries Association

2© Shumaker & Talley 2009

Acknowledgements

We wish to thank:

– The SLA Research Committee and its chair, Dr. Eileen Abels

– John Latham, SLA Information Center Director

We would not be able to make this presentation without the essential contributions of:

– Wendy Miervaldis, Part-time Lecturer in Mathematics, Catholic University of America (Statistical Consultant)

– Carla Miller and Acacia Reed, graduate students, Catholic University of America, Research Assistants


Agenda (1)

Introduction– What is Embedded Librarianship?– Why study it?

Research report– Research plan and methodology– Research findings

Recommendations and Conclusions– Success factors– Models of Embedded Librarianship


Agenda (2)

Panel discussion

– Dushanka Keane, Dupont Corporation

– Bob Oaks, Latham & Watkins LLP

– Michele Tennant, University of Florida


What Is Embedded Librarianship? What Are We Talking About?

It goes by many names: clinical librarian, specialist librarian, informationist, liaison, …


Sometimes the librarian moves out of the library into a customer space …

Sometimes the customer group pays the librarian’s salary …

Always, a special relationship is created …

Themes in the literature include:

– Specialization; specialized knowledge, roles, and functions

– Co-location with information users, away from a library

– Funding by a user group

– Shared responsibility for achieving user group’s goals


Our Vision of Embedded Librarianship

Customer Centric not Library Centric

Located in their Workplace not Our Workplace

Focused on Small Groups not Entire Populations

Composed of Specialists not Generalists

Dependent on Domain Knowledge not only Library Skills

Aiming for Analysis and Synthesis not simply Delivery

In Context not Out of Context

Built on Trusted Advice not Service Delivery


Why Study Embedded Librarianship?

The traditional library service model is in decline:

“Business leaders think Google is all they need.”

--SLA Alignment Project

“46% of students believe they are “very skilled at using the Internet to effectively and efficiently search for information; 33% believe they are “expert” in this regard”

--ECAR Study of Undergrad Students and IT, 2008

“The Internet and Google have changed the information landscape. Libraries now compete for a share of the information market.”

--E. Stewart Saunders, Reference & User Services Quarterly

...many libraries report a decline in demand for reference services


The embedded model offers a way forward to:

Improve “the quality of information, the efficiency of dissemination, and level of analysis which IPs uniquely provide”

Reinforce “emphasis on relevance, access and timeliness vs. the packaging and format of distribution”

“[R]eframe the skill sets of IPs in terms of better end-products and bottom-line results”

--SLA Alignment Project


Why Study Embedded Librarianship?

And one more thing:

Broad, analytical research on successful implementations is lacking

Somebody needed to do it! 11© Shumaker & Talley 2009

Research Goals

Define criteria of “embeddedness” for library and information service programs

Define indicators of success and identify successful (model) programs

Collect data about the practices followed by model programs in initiating, operating, and evaluating their services

Develop recommendations for other librarians 12© Shumaker & Talley 2009

Research Plan: Overview and Timeline

Jan. 08 July 08 Nov. 08 Apr. 09 June 09

Phase 1 Survey:Identify embedded librarians

Phase 2 Survey:Follow-up with embedded librarians from Phase 1

Phase 3 interviews:

Gain in-depth understanding from a small number of successful librarians, their managers and customers

Notification of award

Final report

Literature content analysis continued throughout 13© Shumaker & Talley 2009

Survey 1 Overview

Survey Sample

10,000: SLA Members

3000: Random Sample

1001 Responses

30% Response Rate

Survey 1: Design

19 Questions

3 Eligibility Questions

278 Embedded

28% of SurveyResponses


Survey 1 & 2 Populations

3000

1001

961

617

278

234

124

0 500 1000 1500 2000 2500 3000 3500

Sample

Survey 1 Respondents

Survey 1 Employed

Survey 1 Service Providers

Survey 1 Specialized …

Willing to Participate / …

Survey 2 Respondents


Overview of Findings

Embedded library service

programs are alive and

healthy in SLA’S

organizations.


Organization and Industry Types

Organization Type Industry Type (5 Largest)


Organization and Industry Types

61% of Academic Respondents provide specialized services (61:39 ratio)

6 of the 17 Industry Types have a larger percentage of special service providers than non-special service providers

Embedded Percentages by Industry Type

Organization Specialized

Education 59%

Financial Services 56%

Information Services, Data Processing 54%

Technology (Computers and technology) 54%

Biomedical and Pharmaceutical 52%

Media 51%


Longevity

75% of Respondents

are in programs initiated 7 or more years ago


9%

30%37% 40%

52% 47% 50% 53%

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

2 to 9 10 to 24 25 to 99 100 to 499

500 to 999

1000 to 2499

2500 to 9999

10,000+

Total Employees

Organization Size

Large institutions are more likely to offer Specialized Services20© Shumaker & Talley 2009

Describing Embedded Librarians: Knowledge

Embedded Librarians acquire

domain knowledge through

continuous learning, but not

always through formal degrees

in a related subject.


Knowledge

Survey 2, Q13, 14

Most respondents did not have a degree in progress and most rated the delivery of services as very successful.


Building Relationships

Embedded Librarians’ build

strong relationships with their

customer groups, generating

services and feeding demand.



Train group members

Meet with senior group

members

Collaborate on e-workspace

Attend group’s work-related

meetings

Regular customer

meetings re info needs

Attend domain-related class or

conference

Collaborate with group on

work

The Big Seven


Services

Embedded librarians combine their expertise in information services with their domain knowledge to provide sophisticated contributions to their customer groups’ work.

Customer Groups reward them with increased demand for services.


Services

Survey 2, Q18, 19, 20 26© Shumaker & Talley 2009

Organizational Models

Implementation of

embedded library services

programs differs widely

among organization types. 27© Shumaker & Talley 2009


Provision of Services


Overview of Findings

Success Factors

Models of Embedded

Librarianship


How Do You Spell Success?

Self-evaluation

Growth

Longevity


29%

62%

7%

1%0%

1%Very successful

Successful

Neither successful nor UnsuccessfulUnsuccessful

Very unsuccessful

No Opinion

Self Evaluations

Survey 2, Q 37

116 responses


Objective Indicators of Success

Group 1

Demand for services

Number of services

Staffing over time

have all gone up:

Success!

Group 2

Demand for services

Number of services

Staffing over time

have all remained flat or declined:

Not so sure …34© Shumaker & Talley 2009

11 respondents 16 respondents

Significant Differentiators

Services

In Depth Research

Competitive Intelligence

Instructional Responsibility shared with faculty

Data Analysis

ILL/Document Delivery

Marketing and Promotion

Word of Mouth advertising

Print Promotional Materials

Formal Orientations35© Shumaker & Talley 2009

Significant Differentiators

Service Evaluation

Metrics collected to justify services

Numerical Counts for:

• Research Projects,

• Reference Questions,

• Training Attendance

• Documents Delivered

Anecdotes to evaluate services


Differentiators

Management Support

Customer group member facilitated integration

Customer manager facilitated integration

Customer manager provides input to performance review

Written agreement with Customer

Customer manager refers new group members to the librarian

Management authorization not required to initiate specialized services


Differentiators – 99% Significance (2)

Library Support

Library Manager Authorized Embedded Services

CE required

CE supported


Bottom Line: What Matters Most…

Promotion of Services– (word of mouth, print, orientation sessions)

Measurement and Evaluation of Services– (financial measures, research projects, anecdotes,

documents delivered, reference, training attendance)

Management Support and Communication– (justifying the services to customer management, customer

feedback to performance review, written agreement)

Delivering the Right Services– (in-depth research, data analysis, document delivery, shared

instructional responsibility


Conclusions and Recommendations

Strong leadership by library managers is critical

Hire librarians who can build relationships with their customers

Let them learn the organization and the subject domain

Empower them to offer the right services

Build alliances with customer management

Support the work of embedded librarians with

• Effective promotion• Systematic evaluation• Consistent two-way management communication 40© Shumaker & Talley 2009

The Virtuous Cycle for Embedded Library Services

1. Hire staff who can build relationships

5. Support their work• Effective

promotion

• Systematic evaluation

• Consistent two-way management communication

2. Let them learn the organization and the subject domain

3. Empower them to offer the right services4. Build alliances with

customer management


David [email protected]

Mary [email protected]


mailto:[email protected]

mailto:[email protected]

Modelsof embeddedlibrarianship presentation_final_mt61509

Business

Transcript of Modelsof embeddedlibrarianship presentation_final_mt61509