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School Liaison Program > List of Potential Liaison Activities

List of Potential Liaison Activities

(* Activities required of all liaisons)

Communication

  • Develop a liaison Web page (using the template as a guide) *
  • Create an email distribution list of interested people within the school/department for regular updates
  • Get a link to LHL Liaisons from the school/department Intranet or Web page
  • Schedule regular on site visits to schools/departments (offices, labs, etc.)

Information Sharing

  • Provide monthly updates on library resources and services *
  • Develop information packets on library services and resources for faculty and students *
  • Schedule tours, orientations and classes for faculty, staff and students (the liaison doesn’t necessarily have to do all of these if someone else is more qualified)
  • Answer specific questions and requests
  • Develop a pathfinder for information in topic(s)
  • Produce a list of new resources in the subject area for school/department
  • Establish a teaching relationship with faculty on instructional assignments
  • Provide support with school/department self-study and accreditation surveys
  • Provide help with literature searches for IRB and IACUC proposals

Information Gathering

  • Meet with Dean or designee *
  • Keep statistics on liaison activities for the school/department (number of one-on-one and group sessions, orientations, etc.) *
  • Meet with person in charge of student services
  • Meet with leaders of student organization
  • Meet with new faculty as they are added (find out what library services and resources they were used to having available)
  • Meet with Administrative Associate for school/department
  • Attend faculty meetings of school/department
  • Attend school/department lectures
  • Read the school/department annual reports
  • Review UAB Facts & Figures
  • Review COS profiles, faculty publications - survey faculty research interests
  • Learn about the school/department curriculum
  • Check UAB Reporter for grants in school/department
  • Scan school/department Web pages and newsletters
  • Scan individual faculty Web pages in school/department
  • Scan Web sites of major professional organizations
  • Learn what resources are available within the school/department
  • Learn what materials are required for the students
  • Learn how the students use the library (possibly when you meet with student leaders)
  • Learn the school/department rankings (e.g., US News & World Report, NIH rankings, etc.)
  • Keep up with trends in the school/department

Collection Development

  • Identify standard lists of recommended purchases and arrange to have LHL holdings checked *
  • Be familiar with LHL Collection Development Policy for school/department and make recommendations for revisions with input from the faculty
  • Get usage statistics on materials circulated and monitor use of serial titles (print & electronic)
  • Learn the top journals and monographs for school/department
  • Review the reserve lists
  • Study ILL requests for possible additions to the collection
  • Initiate orders for new materials to be added to the collection
  • Develop a network of people to help with collection development

Liaison Development

  • Join the appropriate group or organization to support the liaison’s subject area (sections of library or discipline professional organizations) *
  • Develop subject knowledge in the liaison’s subject areas (review introductory textbook, audit classes)
  • Contact appropriate school/department liaisons at other universities

Program Evaluation

  • Liaisons will write annual reports for each of their liaison assignments (copies to LHL and shared with the schools/departments) *
  • Administer survey to determine user’s perceptions of the program. Evaluation form/survey template will be developed by the liaisons to solicit suggestions for improvement of the program (customized questions that need asking may be added to the template) *
  • Participate in formal communication between liaisons - monthly meetings for the first year; quarterly meetings thereafter with an annual retreat *