Embedded Librarianship: Librarian Faculty Collaboration

Abstract

Embedded librarianship is an old concept in new context. It is an old phenomenon to initiate a new range of services in the present environment. This paper defines the attributes of embedded library services such as user-oriented, no physical proximity required, miniature group centric, expertise, etc. It also endows with suggestions to the future embedded librarians which embrace acting as a group and not as an individual, support from the organisation and associates, commercial outlook, risk taking competence, etc. This paper also explains the practicing embedded librarianship process which starts with the identification of a faculty member who is library-friendly and ends with providing with embedded library services in the hi-tech era. It is a transformation process of traditional librarian to embedded librarian. As compared to traditional librarianship which is based on transaction, embedded librarianship is based on relationship with the faculty, or user community.  When an embedded librarian initiate interacting with the patrons, it takes them to the another level of understanding with the user. Librarianship with the help of IT has developed into a fruitful affiliation. Most of the high-flying libraries in India are providing embedded library services to its users, some of the libraries are Delhi University Library system, IIT Delhi, Indira Gandhi National Open University, etc. The success of embedded librarianship depends not only on the understanding of librarian and the faculty members but also on the support from the organisation.

http://dx.doi.org/10.14429/djlit.34.6.7059