Rethinking Library Service to Distance Education Students: Analyzing the Embedded Librarian Model

Abstract

Since fall 2009, reference librarians at The George Washington University's Himmelfarb Health Sciences Library have been embedded in online classes through Blackboard within the School of Nursing and School of Medicine and Health Sciences. The authors sought to determine the types of questions asked of the librarian, with the goal of informing future interactions with distance education classes to help develop a standard “protocol” for working with this population of students. Eighty-two questions were categorized and qualitatively analyzed. The findings have prompted librarians to explore tools such as Elluminate Live!, a tool that allows librarians to provide synchronous instruction within the Blackboard environment.

KEYWORDS:

• Blackboard
• distance education
• embedded librarian
• synchronous instruction

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Elaine Sullo

Elaine Sullo, MLS, MAEd ([email protected]) is Coordinator of Information and Instructional Services, Himmelfarb Health Sciences Library, The George Washington University, 2300 Eye Street, NW, Washington, DC 20037.

Tom Harrod

Tom Harrod, MLS, MS ([email protected]) is Reference/Instruction Librarian, Himmelfarb Health Sciences Library, The George Washington University, 2300 Eye Street, NW, Washington, DC 20037.

Gisela Butera

Gisela Butera, MLIS ([email protected]) is Reference/Instruction Librarian, Himmelfarb Health Sciences Library, The George Washington University, 2300 Eye Street, NW, Washington, DC 20037.

Alexandra Gomes

Alexandra Gomes, MSLS, MT ([email protected]) is Associate Director for Education, Information and Technology Services, Himmelfarb Health Sciences Library, The George Washington University, 2300 Eye Street, NW, Washington, DC 20037.