Abrizah, A., Inuwa, S., & Afiqah-Izzati, N. (2016). Systematic Literature Review Informing LIS Professionals on Embedding Librarianship Roles. Journal of Academic Librarianship, 42(6), 636–643. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.acalib.2016.08.010
identifies and documents embedding librarianship roles as reported in the Library and Information Science (LIS) literature.
Findings The roles of embedded librarians were identified, especially in the context of service delivery, all of which reported to be applied to academic libraries. Information literacy instruction, research and other scholarly activities, distance and online learning as well as embedding in classrooms, were described as ways of ensuring successful embedding librarianship. Implications The roles reported in the literature should inform practicing librarians contemplating embedding practices, guide formal embedded librarianship programs, and encourage other librarians to consider new skills in support of embedding roles.
p. 637 The idea behind EL model is to demonstrate librarians’ expertise asinformation specialists and to apply this expertise in ways that willhave a direct and deep impact on the research, teaching or otherworks being done (Carlson & Kneale, 2011).Carlson and Kneale(2011)pointed out that as librarians seek to redefine themselves, themodel of EL is generating interest as an effectual way of applying theknowledge and skills of librarians towards the information challengesof the digital age.
Faculty collaboration with the embedded librarian is the core of em-bedded information literacy instruction. Faculty-librarian relationshipbuilding is of great significance because the two must work closely to-gether over an extended period of time, it is essential that librarianschoose their partnership carefully. Several librarians stress the need towork only in partnerships where there is trust and mutual respect(Carncross, 2013). Librarians build these relationships in differentways, while collaborative relationship can be built in numerous ways,it is essential that bothparties have common goals and know the impor-tance of developing information literacy skills in their students. The most significant collaboration are from campuses in which librarian and university administrators have made information literacy a priority on campus, and have provided librarians and faculty with the time re-quired to make the collaboration successful (Cramer, 2013).
The embedded librarian is focused on course goals and learning objectives outside of the library and across the curriculum
The review designates that EL in courses, classrooms and depart-ments see librarians conducting the following specific tasks: teach stu-dents how to be savvy searchers using computer and laptops (Boyer,2015); collaborate where librarian and faculty member teach eachother, exchanging favors, and the librarian selecting useful resourcesfor the faculty (Ivey, 2003); take part in meetings to promote librarian’spresence and establish communication with the students, researchersand faculty (Jacobs, 2010); provide access to course-related library re-sources, in-class instruction sessions, library instructional handouts, in-formation on referencing style, library Webinar information as well asteach note-taking (Bezet, 2013).
The review shows that academic libraries that engage their distancelearning communities through an embedded librarian as online co-instructors to deliver technological applications such as instant messag-ing, e-mail, and wikis. This EL model facilitates direct interaction be-tween students and librarians regardless of physical proximity.Edwards and Black (2012)andEdwards et al. (2010)evaluated the pro-gram of embedded librarians in an online graduate educational technol-ogy course and found that students were helped with their onlineassignments.
Webinar: tools for collaborative research and early discovery
Librarians have been at the forefront in promoting open access publishing options and informing their researchers about the open access landscape. Open access is increasingly recognized as embedded within the larger framework of open science. Consequently, library and librarian roles are expanding into new areas such as open data, open educational resources and open infrastructure.
In this webinar, Elsevier product managers will present tools that enable more inclusive, collaborative and transparent research.
TOPICS:
•The library as publisher of OERs and OA journals with Digital Commons
•Open access content discovery in ScienceDirect and Scopus
•Open journal metrics: CiteScore, SNIP and SJR
•Publishing research outputs openly in Mendeley Data and SSRN
Elsevier is controversial, after acquiring a number of platforms that distributed academic material for free. Profit-driven Elsevier’s legal threats against other sites that openly host millions of scientific papers have forced them to go into the digital underground, and distribute their material with the protection of the Tor anonymity network. Some universities have boycotted Elsevier.
Elsevier, the information analytics business specializing in science and health, has acquired Science-Metrix Inc., a research evaluation firm that provides science research evaluation and analytics to assess science and technology activities. Headquartered in Montréal, Canada, Science-Metrix is known for high-quality and independent bibliometric analysis and research evaluation.
Science-Metrix works for governmental, educational, nonprofit and private organizations that perform scientific research or deal with funding and management of science and technology. Its services enable evidence-based decision-making, strategic planning and outcome assessment processes for governments, international organizations, universities, scientific societies, publishers and technology companies.
As part of the acquisition of Science-Metrix Inc., Elsevier has also acquired 1science, a business started in 2015 to develop research intelligence products. Customers of 1science products will benefit from synergies with the Elsevier technology stack.