Dusty Relic to Shining Treasure: Embedded in a Multicultural Environment

Abstract

Far from being dusty old relics who are guardians of the book, embedded librarians need to be proactively leading students through the digital maze of the virtual library. Working with students more than 7,000 miles away changed perceptions of how to teach and learn, and how people interact online. We will share how as embedded librarians we repositioned ourselves, and our services, to be an integral part of the educational experience. Working with students whose cultural norms are centuries different than our own and for whom English is a second or third language, librarians must be information gurus.

KEYWORDS:

• embedded librarian
• culture
• ESL
• distance education
• students
• librarian-faculty relationships