Embedded Librarianship: Home

An embedded librarian can benefit both faculty and students in the following ways:

• Provides appropriate and timely library instruction within context of course units throughout the course

• Offers additional support to students -- individually and as a class

• Helps students build effective academic habits

• Reinforces academic expectations regarding information literacy based upon the ACRL Framework for Information Literacy for Higher Education.

• Builds connectivity between course and library resources, fostering a productive working relationship among students, librarians, and faculty. Embedment is an easy, instant reminder to students that a librarian is available to help.

• Increases student exposure to library resources and librarians (who are actual people!) and increases likelihood that students will use these resources now and in the future, which increases student success, retention, and completion

• Increases quality of student research

• Models a faculty-librarian relationship as a collaborative process through scholarship as conversation

• Establishes easy and direct communication between students and librarian

• Helps students and faculty navigate the complicated and often overwhelming information landscape

• Offers students objective academic support

• A librarian seeks to access and understand your syllabus and speaks with you about the research goals and library resource needs of your class.

• You give the librarian access as a teaching assistant so that he or she can view your class materials and discussions (but not your gradebook).

• Students are also given contact information for the librarian (phone, email, etc) so that they can contact the librarian directly for personal assistance.

• The key to the program is the designated "Class Librarian" discussion board forum maintained by the librarian in Canvas. This is where they work with students throughout the semester on various assignments and projects, posting tips at time-appropriate moments and answering questions. The librarian tailors tips and suggestions for YOUR students so that they can be successful in YOUR class. This discussion board is kept independent of your course discussion board and materials so that there is no extra work for you.

Primarily, librarians would need access to your Canvas course. However, the most important thing that we need from instructors is promotion of the library and its resources. Announcing that a librarian will be a part of the class and be available for questions is a great first step. If you see students struggling with research, remind them that a librarian is available to help. The more importance that is placed on library resources, the more students are likely to use them!