The Embedded Librarian: using Technology in

Service Delivery

Pavlinka Kovatcheva, Faculty Librarian: Sciences

University of Johannesburg

Find me on: Twitter:@ujlibscience; Facebook & LinkedIn

11th Southern African Online Information Meeting (SAOIM)

Sandton Convention Centre, Johannesburg“Innovation in an Age of Limits”, 6 June 2012

..... OR

How to get in “BED” with your Users

Transit of Venus5 – 6 June 2012

Source

The journey of being an Embedded Librarian starts now:

• The Metamorphosis Life of a Librarian• Definitions of Embedded Librarianship• The Embedded Librarianship attributes• The Embedded Librarianship requirements & tasks• Planning for embedded librarianship @ your library• Embedded Librarianship practice @ UJ• The Sciences Embedded Librarian: Practical Tips

- Professional Associations

- The embedded librarian in Faculty & Departments

- The embedded librarian in the Classroom

- The embedded librarian: in the Virtual Learning Environment

- The embedded librarian and Social Networking

- The Mobile embedded librarian• Competencies for Embedded Librarians• Conclusion

The Metamorphosis Life of a Librarian

• The 80s – The traditional role• The 90s – The transitional role • The 1st decade of the 21st Century

- The growing online access to Information Resources

- The implementation of Web 2.0 Technologies

- The increase use of Mobile Technologies

- The practice of Embedded Librarianship• The 2nd decade of the 21st Century

- It is all about Social Media & Networking , Mobile Devices & Applications, eReaders & Tablets, Open Access, Embedded Librarianship, etc.

Definitions of Embedded Librarianship

• “Embedded librarianship takes a librarian out of the context of the traditional library and places him/her in an “on-site” setting or situation that enables close coordination and collaboration with researchers or teaching faculty” (Carlson & Kneale, 2011)

• Embedded = An integral part to the whole. An element without which the whole could not be what it is. David Shumaker (2011) refined this to mean that librarians become integral parts to the units and groups in which they work.

The Embedded Librarianship Attributes:

• Relationship building with faculty and user groups• Customer centric not Library centric• Located in the customer’s workplace, not the

librarian’s workplace• Focussed on specific groups, not entire populations• Composed of specialists, not generalists• Aiming for analysis and synthesis (re-packaging) not

simply delivery• Trusted advisors, not only delivering information /

services as specified by the customer

(Shumaker & Tally, 2009)

The Embedded Librarian: Requirements & Tasks

Requirements for Embedded Librarians:• Embedded librarian have background in both librarianship and the subject

matter important to their customer group• Embedded librarians also have extensive relevant informal education and

practical experience• Continues learning is important to embedded librarians

The Embedded Librarians tend to provide complex, value-added service to their customer groups:

• Training on the use of information services• Ready reference, quick fact checking, citation verification• In-depth topical search• Collection Development• Provide “how to” manuals, pathfinders, etc.• Evaluating, synthesising & summarizing literature• Content management for web, intranet & wiki sites• Sharing instructional responsibilities (Shumaker & Tally, 2009)

Planning for Embedded Librarianship

@ your Library

• Background: summary of the organisational context• Embedded Librarian Engagement: overview of the organisational

units and information user groups in which librarians are embedded• Nature of the Librarians’ Contribution: the work performed by

embedded librarians• Communication and Promotion: How members of the

organisations are informed about the embedded model• Evaluation: How the work of the embedded librarians is evaluated• Management Advocacy (Faculty): How information user group

managers and senior organisational leaders support the embedded model

• Management Advocacy (Library): How library management supports embedded librarians and develops the embedded method

(Shumaker, 2011)

Embedded librarianship practice @ UJ

• What we did?• What has change?• Focus on embedded

librarianship • Planning and implementation• Are the librarians equipped to

be embedded librarians?

Embedded Librarianship practice @ UJ

• Implementation of UJ Faculty Librarians positions in 2010-2011• Changed the Job Descriptions to include embedded and blended

librarianship

- Embedded: partners with faculty to embed personalised assistance to staff & students; acts and serves as research coach

- Blended: improves collaboration to become instructional partner; connects with learners....; provides new tools for sharing information literacy and research process insights; takes leadership initiatives to integrate the academic library & librarian into the teaching and learning process.

• Workshop on social networking for librarians (Nov 2011)• Beginning of 2012: Adopt the use of VLE: EduLink• May 2012: Workshop on Embedded librarianship to set-up the

scene and discuss the implementation

THE SCIENCES EMBEDDED LIBRARIAN:

PRACTICAL TIPS

UJ Sciences Librarian examples: • Professional Associations• The embedded librarian in Faculty & Departments• The embedded librarian in the Classroom• The embedded librarian: in the Virtual Learning Environment (VLE)• The embedded librarian and Social Networking•The Mobile embedded librarian

Embedded librarian:Joins Subject /

Professional Associations

The Librarians should join Subject / Professional Associations

• To connect with relevant groups • To share & communicate information

and knowledge, that can benefit to the partnership with the faculty, teaching and learning

Example:• IAMSLIC and SLA-PAM; SAOUG• Listserv of SLA-PAM – platform to

learn the latest in those subject areas, create conversations; document delivery;

• Sharing with colleagues from different countries & institutions

• Attending Subject related Conferences

THE EMBEDDED LIBRARIAN:UJ SCIENCE FACULTY AND

DEPARTMENTS

Partnership in the making

“New facts learnt today: UJ had over 84 000 applications from kids who wanted to study with us in 2012, and only 11 000 were accepted in the different programs. Scary numbers! Faculty of Science accommodates 32% of all students at UJ (including Health and Engineering students - about 3 500 first years alone), but government is pushing for more, so our faculty will grow dramatically in the next few years”. (1st year Academy workshop; Nicolette Niemann, Biotechnology Department, FB)

UJ Faculty of Science registered students for 2012:

New students Continuing students Total

1161 2159 3320

Kingsway Campus Doornfontein Campus

2643 677

Build Partnership with the Sciences Faculty & Departments

Faculty • Regular meetings with the Dean of

Science (advice on budgets, subscriptions of e-resources, curriculum & research support, etc.)

• Attend Faculty Board meetings• Participate in Faculty 1st Year

Experience and Academy• Member of the Faculty Teaching &

Learning committee• Member of the Faculty Website

committee• Attend Faculty Open lectures;

Initiatives; Awards; End of the Year Functions; Community engagement

• Communication with Faculty offices

Departments• Visits to Departments• Library trainings on available

resources, searches, Refworks, getting published, etc.

• Develop & maintain Sciences Subject Portals

• Attend Departmental meetings• Collaborate on Curriculum

courses & Virtual Learning Environment

• Support to Researchers with searches, NRF accreditation, library issues, etc.

• Collection Development • Attend postgraduates, visiting

researchers & staff presentations

The Embedded Librarian:

UJ Faculty of Science,1st year Academy

workshop, 28 May 2012

Attends the Faculty of Science

Open Lectures

The Embedded librarian:

Attends Departments Research workshops

Embedded Librarian:

Physics Department

The Embedded Librarian: Faculty &

Departments websites

The Embedded librarian:Library/Vendors Training for Departmental staff &

Postgraduate Researchers

The Embedded Librarian: Get Social with your Faculty

THE EMBEDDED LIBRARIAN:LIBRARY INFORMATION LITERACY

IN THE CLASSROOM

• First year experience: Presentation during the Faculty orientation; Library tours; Brochures; Pictures – video)• Curriculum course, 1st year students: Civics for Sciences: Copyright & Plagiarism; • Curriculum course: Library assignments & Instructions: Biology 1; Biochemistry 1; Chemistry 2; Zoology 2• Library training instructions in Computer Labs, Sciences Labs and Lecture hall

The Embedded Librarian: UJ Faculty of Science:

1st Year Orientation 2012

YouTube video

The Embedded Librarian: Curriculum Course

Information Literacy on Copyright &

Plagiarism: Sciences for Civics1st year students,

October 2011

The Embedded Librarian:Curriculum Course: Biology 1

• Plan at the beginning of the 1st Semester of 2012 with the Pracs’ lecturers

• 144 students in 2 groups over 2 weeks time; • 4 Library training sessions @ the Lab: Access

& searching for resources & Plagiarism, citing & referencing

• Questionnaire & assessment on referencing after the second training

• Library support on EduLink (Virtual Learning environment)

• Develop with the lecturer 5 library questions in the semester test.

• Positive feedback from the lecturers as compare to previous years. More time for hands-on training is required

The Embedded Librarian: Subject/Assignment Specific Library Training in the Classroom

Embedded Librarian:Joined training

Department - Library@ Computer lab

Staff, MSc & PhD’s

THE EMBEDDED LIBRARIAN:

LIBRARY INTEGRATION INTO THE

VIRTUAL LEARNING ENVIRONMENT

The literature identifies the virtual learning environment (VLE) both as a way of •organising online information and learning resources by subject, and as a •medium for delivering crucial information skills and information literacy tutorials developed for

library users. (Corrall, 2011)

UJ Sciences Librarian Portalhttp://ujsciencelibrarian.pbworks.com/

The Embedded librarian has presence @

Virtual Learning Environment (EduLink)

The library resources are embedded into the student learning space

Benefits:• Once stop access• 24/7• Easy communication• Online assessment

and feedback

Sciences Librarian presence on EduLink

Sciences

Librarian:

EduLink Support

EduLink Support:Biology 1

Sciences Librarian:EduLink Support

Postgrads

EduLink Sciences Library Resources Stats: February- 4 June 2012

Academics make use of Google groups: The students and the librarian are on the same space for open discussion; - Learn about students problems; - The students experience with assignments; - How they feel about social issues; - Lecturer share semester marks and learn more about how - Learn about curriculum; - “tag” proposed articles by lecturer; etc. - The lecture make use of iPad and most of the students reply via their phones

THE EMBEDDED LIBRARIAN:SOCIAL NETWORKING

The Embedded librarian make use of Web 2.0 tools to ENHANCE her TRADITIONAL role by

contributing, sharing and collaborating with patron

Why Use Social Networking tools?

To be where our users and potential users are...... socially!

The Embedded Librarian make use of : Facebook

You can create your Library Facebook pages, but you can also embed yourself into your institution Facebook pages:

University of Johannesburg on Facebook:• University of Johannesburg page (Likes: 5,748)• UJ Research page (Likes: 497)• UJ Faculties & Departments pages

Librarian presence on Facebook:• The UJ Sciences Librarian Hot Alert Facebook Page (Likes: 61)• Pavlinka Kovatcheva – personal Facebook (friends with Faculty

members & students; International & Local Librarians)• Other Library pages (UJ Reads, Subject Librarians, etc.)

UJ & Sciences Departments @ Facebook

Embedded Widgets on the UJ Sciences Portal & EduLink

To BRIDGE the GAP in

Social Interaction

The Mobile Embedded Librarian

QR Codes

What are a QR Codes?• The QR Codes are 2

dimensional barcodes that are easily scanned using mobile phones

• Your mobile phone need to have the QR Code option to install.

Steps in creating QR Code:• Find a QR Code Generator

(perform a Google search)• Type the information, such

as text or a URL, which will be converted (qurified) into a barcode.

• When you scan the barcode with your mobile, the code will be then converted (dequrified) into the coded text or URL

Embedded librarian:Foursquare

How to use in the library:• Check-in • Leave tips for those visiting the

library• Become the Meyer of the library• Connect with users• Leave a comment or suggestion• Post library pictures• Reward your visitors

Foursquare: Tips for the library

Instant Messaging (IM)

Embedded MeeboMe on the Sciences Portal

Connect to Mobile MeeboMe

The Embedded Librarian Playground: Pinteresthttp://pinterest.com

•Pinterest is a virtual pinboard. •Pinterest allows you to organise and share all the beautiful things you find on the web. •You can browse pinboards created by other people to discover new things and get inspiration from people who share your interests.

http://pinterest.com/ujlibscience/

Pinterest @ your

Library

Competencies for Embedded Librarianship

http://www.wordle.net/

In Conclusion

• Be THE TRADITIONAL LIBRARIAN, but adapt to the changing world

• Learn how to use the Social & Technological tools to improve relationships and communication with your patrons. Be THE SOCIAL NETWORKING LIBRARIAN

• Help your Library with the implementation of the Mobile Technologies, be THE MOBILE LIBRARIAN.

• Practice Embedded Librarianship by establishing trust, collaboration, sharing and partnership with your Faculty and students. Be the EMBEDDED LIBRARIAN.

• It is a challenge being a MODERN 21st Century librarian• The Librarians need to ADAPT, to learn new SKILLS, to play

new ROLES and function productively in the Age of Limits.• Going to “BED” with your users – the technology works for me

24/7.

References

Carlson, J. & Kneale R. 2011. Embedded librarianship in the research context: navigating new waters. College & Research Libraries News, 72 (3):167-170 (http://crln.acrl.org/content/72/3/167.full)

Corrall, S. & Keates, J. 2011. The subject librarian and the virtual learning environment: A study of UK universities. Program: electronic library and information systems. 45(1):29-49

Shumaker, D & Tally, M. 2009. Models of Embedded Librarianship Final Report. [Online]. Available at http://www.sla.org/pdfs/EmbeddedLibrarianshipFinalRptRev.pdf. Accessed 3 June 2012.

Shumaker, David. 2011. The embedded librarian [Online]. Available at http://embeddedlibrarian.com/2011/07/09/another-definition-of-embedded/ Blog post 9 July 2011, Accessed 2 June 2012

Shumaker, D. 2011. Models of Embedded Librarianship: Addendum 2011.

[Online]. Available at

Thank you

Pavlinka Kovatcheva

Tel: 011 559 2621

E-mail: pkovatcheva@ uj.ac.za

UJ Sciences Librarian Portal: http://ujsciencelibrarian.pbworks.com/FrontPage

Slide Share Presentations:http://www.slideshare.net/pavlinka163/presentations

………… just GOOGLE ME