Role of Library Liaison Contacts
List of Library Liaison Contacts
List of Faculty Liaison Librarians
The primary role of Library Liaison Contact (LLC) is to act as a contact between the Department or Faculty they represent, and the Library, mainly in relation to collection and resource matters.
In some cases the LLC is a Librarian (who may in turn be liaising with Departmental academic LLCs), and in other cases - usually where the collection is based in Fisher - the LLC is an academic staff member nominated by their particular Department. The Library maintains a list of current LLCs.
The LLC system works to facilitate procedures or processes by ensuring that information, documentation, acquisition and budget advice is communicated between academic faculties/departments and the Library. This liaison role is a two-way process - the LLC represents their faculty/department to various Library departments, and receives advice from the Library for communication to their particular constituency. Problems and/or clarifications of Library procedures can also be handled by LLCs.
Matters of policy, while often involving LLCs, are usually raised through faculty or departmental Library or User Committees, or through discussion or representation at the Library Committee, a committee of the Academic Board.
The Library has established a LLC email list to ensure that all LLCs are directly contacted over any procedural or policy matters that need to be considered or communicated through faculties or departments. LLCs are automatically added or removed from the list following advice about new appointments.
Currently, the responsibilities of the LLCs include :
- Suggestions and Orders - suggestions for purchase from research monograph allocations are often made through the LLC to the appropriate subject resource team. The LLC is expected to have an overview of faculty or departmental ordering to ensure an appropriate balance of suggestions to meet research interests, and to ensure the timely commitment of the fund allocations
- Fund, expenditure and commitment information - the LLC receives monthly statements of expenditure and commitment from the Library relating to their particular department/faculty to allow them to monitor ordering and expenditure.
- Course ordering - the LLC plays a key role in encouraging and coordinating the timely ordering of material recommended on course reading lists from their department/faculty. The Library has a special fund for the purchase of multiple copies of reading list material - more information is available from the appropriate subject librarian
- Serials review and cancellation - the LLC plays an important role in the process of serial reviews to ensure that any cancellation targets are met, that there is appropriate consultation within their faculty/department, and that any consideration of (re)aligning serial purchases in relation to research/teaching priorities takes place. To facilitate any review LLCs need to contact their appropriate subject librarian
- New serials - new print serial subscriptions can only be ordered on the cancellation of an existing titles of equivalent value. Requests for new titles and suggestions for cancellations are made through the LLC - and it is their responsibility to ensure that there is consensus or agreement in their constituency for the new title and the cancellation
- Expensive items or special purchases - cases for such purchases are usually made through the LLC to the Collections Coordinator
- Relegation and collection transfers - the Library will contact relevant LLCs regarding any collection relegation or transfer to ensure that a full and open consultation takes place with academic staff before any moves are made. The LLC is responsible for ensuring that relevant or interested academic staff are made aware of any consultation.
The role of the LLC can be expected to broaden in the future as the Library moves to greater flexibility in the provision of collection funds, and electronic access to resources becomes more common and important. As the process of the Library providing resources to support the University's programs becomes more constrained in relation to funding, and more complex in the range of resource and delivery options, an effective and efficient means of communicating and consulting with faculties and departments becomes critical. The LLC will continue to play a key role in this process.
March 2003