Academic Library Services to Graduate Students Interest Group

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Charge: To provide academic librarians with a forum to discuss issues related to library service for graduate students, including instruction, outreach, reference, collections, and programming; develop guidelines and resources that will assist academic librarians with providing quality services for their graduate students.
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  • 1.  Positions working mainly with graduate students

    Posted Jun 13, 2023 04:50 PM

    Over the years I've heard several conversations (complaints) about only being able to dedicate a minimal amount of time to working with graduate students as part of overall duties. Back in 2008 ARL published SPEC Kit 308 which outlined services/positions among schools who answered their survey, and there were very few positions dedicated to working with graduate students like the position posted at Oklahoma State University Libraries. I'm wondering how many of you have such positions, or know of libraries that have positions where the majority of your time is spent working with graduate students?



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    Victor Baeza
    Scholarly Communications Librarian
    Colorado State University Pueblo
    He/Him/His
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  • 2.  RE: Positions working mainly with graduate students

    Posted Jun 14, 2023 07:24 AM

    Hi Victor,

    My title is Graduate Studies Librarian! I only work with grad students, and support all of them on my reasonably large campus (except for the Business school - there are two librarians there). My role is focused on teaching and learning; we have other units that support scholarly comm, data management, etc -- the other aspects of grad researchers on campus. 
    As I try to build a community of practice of T&L librarians for grad students specifically, I have challenges with identifying those who have roles like me, and feel like it will be a small CoP. 

    Leeanne Romane
    Graduate Studies Librarian
    McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada.



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    Leeanne Romane
    Graduate Studies Librarian
    McMaster University Library
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    Original Message


  • 3.  RE: Positions working mainly with graduate students

    Posted Jun 14, 2023 12:46 PM
    All my time is spent with graduate students, because almost all our students are graduate students and the students in the tiny undergraduate program rarely use the library.  I don't think this is what you're looking for, but I have created a library program geared to graduate students.

    Emily Bergman
    The Chicago School of Professional Psychology



    Original Message


  • 4.  RE: Positions working mainly with graduate students

    Posted Jun 26, 2023 01:31 PM
    Hi Victor,


    I hope all is going well with you!  Per my job title, I work exclusively with grad students, faculty, and programs.  My open research appointments are occasionally booked by an undergrads (despite all the verbiage in LibApps that should warn them away from me), so there's the occasional non-grad that slips in, but I let them stay.  Who knows-maybe they'll be grads someday.  ��  
     
    With the preponderance of graduate programs, especially online, it is surprising that library administrations aren't allocating positions dedicated to serving this population.  They are certainly doing it with the health sciences.  I'm hoping that graduate librarianship can begin to get traction to the point where we see more of these positions.   I do believe, if we want more graduate positions, we have to stoke the fire on this issue to raise awareness.  To that end, March 2024 is the TLGS conference.  If anyone feels like talking about graduate librarianship, that's the place to do it!  Another place is the Journal of Graduate Librarianship.  


    Thanks,

    Wendy


    Wendy Doucette, PhD, MSLIS

    Graduate Research and Instruction Librarian

    Associate Professor, East Tennessee State University

    Organizer and Program Chair, TLGS (Transforming Libraries for Graduate Students) International Conference
    Co-founder and Editor-in-Chief, Journal of Graduate Librarianship




    Original Message


  • 5.  RE: Positions working mainly with graduate students

    Posted Jun 28, 2023 08:33 AM

    Wendy,

    It's good to hear that TLGS will be happening next March! I've been watching the website and hadn't seen an announcement. Do you know when there will be more information available about the conference?

    Brianna Hughes, Graduate Student Services Librarian

    University of Maryland, Baltimore County



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    Brianna Hughes Faculty
    STEM Reference and Instruction Librarian
    University of Maryland, Baltimore County
    She/Her/Hers
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    Original Message


  • 6.  RE: Positions working mainly with graduate students

    Posted Jul 19, 2023 08:37 AM
    Hi Brianna,


    Sorry for the delay-I get all ALA mails in digest at this address and get to them when I can, which is every few weeks.  

    TLGS has happened steadily since 2016 and will continue to do so, so no worries there!  I expect to put out the CFP early October, as well as the call for conference volunteers.  I hope to hear from you then!


    Thanks,

    Wendy


    Wendy Doucette, PhD, MSLIS

    Graduate Research and Instruction Librarian

    Associate Professor, East Tennessee State University

    Organizer and Program Chair, TLGS (Transforming Libraries for Graduate Students) International Conference
    Co-founder and Editor-in-Chief, Journal of Graduate Librarianship




    Original Message