The MLA Books Panel is seeking an author or editor for a monograph that will seek to answer the question: In what ways do librarians provide liaison services to their patrons in the modern era? Today, as we are increasingly shifting our emphasis from library content to library services, the role of library liaisons has become more relevant and more varied.
The Reference and User Services Association developed Guidelines for Liaison Work in Managing Collections and Services. In 2013, the Association for Research Libraries published New Roles for New Times: Transforming Liaison Roles in Research Libraries, which states:
“With increasing pressure on researchers to plan and manage their output, and a growing adoption of open access publishing, research libraries are now compelled to understand and support all processes of instruction and scholarship, which calls for an engagement model. An engaged liaison seeks to enhance scholar productivity, to empower learners, and to participate in the entire lifecycle of the research, teaching, and learning process.”
This volume will seek to determine how library liaison work is being done in all of the many different kinds of libraries that engage in liaison activities, so this book should be descriptive and include basic “how to” information that is repeatable in a variety of library environments. For example, explain exactly how to build relationships, create trust, and so on, rather than state the need to do so. Be as specific as possible. Examples of failures may also be useful.
This monograph may be an edited volume with several contributors or a single author effort. An edited volume allows input from librarians from all types of libraries, but the editor should ensure that health sciences libraries are well represented. Chapter contributions cannot be considered until an editor has been determined.
To learn about MLA’s publishing process, please see the Publish a Book with MLA page. If you are interested in authoring or editing this project and have any questions, please email Dorothy C. Ogdon, AHIP. The completion of several steps is required, along with approval by the MLA Books Panel, before a book contract can be issued by our publishing partner Rowman & Littlefield. Step 1 consists of submitting a simple form that is available on the Publish a Book with MLA page. The completed form should be submitted to Martha Lara, director, Marketing and Communications, MLA.