Embedded Reference to Embedded Librarianship: 6 Years at the University of Calgary

ABSTRACT

This article is an update to a previous article on embedded office hours at the University of Calgary. It examines the nature of embedded librarianship at the University of Calgary and how it has changed from embedded reference to embedded librarianship over the past 6 years. There have been 3 main approaches to achieving embedded librarianship: office hours, long service, and purpose-built branch or special libraries. This article reviews the current literature on embedded librarianship and in that context describes, compares, and discusses the 3 approaches at the University of Calgary.

KEYWORDS:

• academic librarianship
• embedded librarianship
• liaison librarianship
• reference
• subject librarianship

Acknowledgments

The authors acknowledge: Melanie Boyd, Barb Brydges, Claudette Cloutier, Kathy Drewes, Alix Hayden, Mary Hemmings, Nadine Hoffman, Laura Koltutsky, Saundra Lipton, Sue McKee, Don MacMillan, Cindy Murrell, Dani Pahulje, Peter Peller, Susan Powelson, Renee Reaume, Rosvita Vaska, Liz Watson, Justine Wheeler, and John Wright.