Evidence Synthesis Methods Interest Group

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Charge: To promote and develop competencies around evidence synthesis including systematic reviews, meta-analyses, scoping reviews, and other related methods of research synthesis, through activities such as: Facilitating discussion and peer-support; Creating and managing a resource page; Encouraging programming and publications around systematic reviews through ACRL.
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CFP - Evidence Synthesis Services in Academic Libraries: Case Studies and Perspectives

  • 1.  CFP - Evidence Synthesis Services in Academic Libraries: Case Studies and Perspectives

    Posted Jan 06, 2025 12:43 PM

    Call for Chapter Proposals – Evidence Synthesis Services in Academic Libraries: Case Studies and Perspectives 

    Proposal Deadline: February 14, 2025 

    Submit your proposal: CFP Google form 

    About the Book: 

    Evidence synthesis involves combining information from multiple studies investigating the same topic to comprehensively understand the findings (Cochrane, 2023). It includes systematic reviews, scoping reviews, and related methodologies. While evidence synthesis initially gained prominence in the medical community, virtually all disciplines now employ various review types to communicate evidence-based, reproducible research. As evidence synthesis has expanded, so has the librarian's role in facilitating these reviews as an information expert. Key organizations recommend librarian involvement in these projects, and librarians are increasingly called upon to provide search support, information management, project management, and other services in collaboration with researchers. It is now commonplace for academic libraries to provide dedicated evidence synthesis services, and a growing community of practice facilitates the sharing of service models, workflows, and best practices.  

    Evidence Synthesis Services in Academic Libraries: Case Studies and Perspectives aims to bring together contributions from various academic librarians on all aspects of evidence synthesis services, from assessing user needs and launching new services to marketing and assessing services and sustaining success. With the insights of knowledgeable field experts and real-life case studies, this book is designed to be a practical guide for any librarian involved in evidence synthesis. It will be a valuable resource for information practitioners in any discipline, offering a systematic approach to creating, managing, and maintaining an evidence synthesis service. The book will also provide practical tips on seeking training opportunities, mentoring other librarians, and building enduring relationships with research partners. 

    Edited by: Traci Mays, Florida Gulf Coast University and Kimberly Reycraft, Florida Gulf Coast University 

    Publisher: ACRL 

    Topics/Sections: 

    Introduction 

    • Growth of interdisciplinary evidence synthesis services 

    • Academic librarian roles in evidence synthesis (examples include librarians as project managers, collaborators, consultants, data managers and archival agents) 

    • Planning and laying the groundwork for evidence synthesis services, including creating forms, policies and procedures (examples include memoranda of understanding, intake forms, assessment, etc.) 

    • Steps to successfully rolling out a new service (for example an exploration of "soft launch" vs "hard launch" of services) 

    • Developing faculty relationships including but not limited to setting boundaries, negotiating authorship, etc. 

    • Training opportunities for academic librarians involved in evidence synthesis (examples include classes or workshops for beginners or advanced professionals, or how to stay current) 

    Service Models and Workflows 

    • Faculty only evidence synthesis services 

    • Faculty and undergraduate/graduate student evidence synthesis services 

    • Levels of service, for example consultation-only services, consultation and co-authorship, etc. 

    • Instructional components of evidence synthesis services (for example workshops and training for faculty, or teaching evidence synthesis in the undergraduate/graduate classroom) 

    • Case studies on efficient workflows in evidence synthesis services (for example in small, medium, and large multi-campus libraries) 

    • Case studies on finding and using the right tools (for example screening tools, project management tools, etc.) 

    Sustaining Services 

    • Marketing evidence synthesis services across campus (examples include utilizing student marketing assistants or working with campus marketing departments)  

    • Managing growth and demand for evidence synthesis services 

    • Assessing and evaluating the impacts of evidence synthesis services  

    • Scaling up evidence synthesis services – or scaling down a service 

    • Diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives in evidence synthesis services (for example building a multidisciplinary team) 

    • Network building and professional development in evidence synthesis services 

    • Case studies on challenges and issues in providing evidence synthesis services describing how those challenges were overcome 

    • Communicating the value of evidence synthesis services to campus and community stakeholders 

    Key Details for Submitting a Proposal: 

    Please submit your proposals using the CFP Google form by February 14, 2025. The proposal should include all contributing authors and their institutions, a working title, section of book, 3-5 keywords describing your proposed topic, and an abstract of your proposed chapter that does not exceed 500 words. 

    We encourage proposals from librarians from a variety of subject disciplines. Case studies and exploratory research are invited and welcome, as are essays that incorporate scholarly writing with personal narratives. The Topics/Sections is not a final or exhaustive list, so please do not feel limited by the suggested topics. We welcome proposals for a topic that you feel fit within the scope of evidence synthesis services in academic libraries. Additionally, all topics listed may not be included in the final version. Final chapters should be between 3,000 – 5,000 words. Chapters must not be previously published or under consideration elsewhere at the time of submission. All chapters will follow APA 7th style guidelines. 

    Authors will be notified of acceptance by March 28, 2025. See below for the full project timeline. Please email Traci Mays and Kimberly Reycraft at ESSinacademiclibraries@gmail.com with any questions. 

    Tentative Timeline: 

    • CFP closes February 14, 2025 

    • Authors notified of acceptance by March 28, 2025 

    • Chapter first drafts due June 27, 2025 

    • Draft reviews completed and feedback provided to authors by August 29, 2025 

    • Final drafts of chapters due November 21, 2025 

    • Publication anticipated January 2027 

    Selection Process:  

    We will be evaluating submissions based on fit with the theme of the book and relevance to a variety of experiences and perspectives. 

    References 

    Cochrane (2023, May 4). Evidence synthesis – What is it and why do we need it? Cochrane. https://www.cochrane.org/news/evidence-synthesis-what-it-and-why-do-we-need-it 

     



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    Kimberly Reycraft
    STEM Librarian
    Florida Gulf Coast University Library
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