New roles and opportunities for academic library liaisons: a survey and recommendations

A task force at Rutgers University Libraries was charged with exploring ways to develop more effective liaison relations with teaching departments. As a preliminary step the working group surveyed Rutgers liaisons to identify preferred practices and to solicit comments on trends in liaisonship in academic libraries. Based on this survey, we examine changes in the information profession and how they have effected the reference and instruction that departmental liaisons provide to faculty and students. Particular emphasis is placed on the impact of the Internet. Generally, electronic resources have made faculty and students less reliant on liaisons for help with their research, while electronic communication, especially via e‐mail, has the potential to make liaisonship more efficient and effective. We offer a number of recommendations for effective liaisonship, including concise and purposeful e‐mail messages and making direct and personal contact with faculty and students whenever possible.