Teaching and collaborating for change as an academic librarian

CHICAGO — Traditionally, academic librarians have delivered “beck and call” service to educators both in and out of the classroom. However, far from being merely auxiliary to the learning cycle, academic librarians are educators in their own right. If the primary challenge before them is to change how they’re perceived within their institutions, as Michelle Reale proposes in her new book, the key lies in becoming a proactive teacher and collaborator. “The Indispensable Academic Librarian: Teaching and Collaborating for Change,” published by ALA Editions, offers strategies applicable to many different areas, showing how the academic librarian can be an educator in both structured and unstructured spaces on campuses. Blending practice-based evidence with a warm approach, Reale:

• discusses the changing perception of academic librarians, how they are seen and how they see themselves;
• shows how academic librarians can and should assert their rightful place in the learning cycle;
• looks at how to match teaching goals with academic librarians’ mission;
• advocates for the indispensable roles the academic librarian should play, including co-collaborator, one-on-one research consultant, expert-at-large in non-structured spaces such as the dorm or student lounge, and embedded librarian in the classroom;  
• offers talking points for self-advocacy, looking at the many ways academic librarians are making a difference; and
• explores activities and programming for engagement and learning.

Reale is an associate professor at Arcadia University near Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Her other books include “Mentoring and Managing Students in the Academic Library,” “Becoming an Embedded Librarian,” and “Becoming a Reflective Librarian and Teacher: Strategies for Mindful Academic Practice.” Her research interests involve embedded librarianship, mentoring, narrative inquiry, and reflective practice.

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