Iterative Evolution of the Liaison Librarian Role: A Brief Case Study

Recognizing a need to evolve subject liaison responsibilities and 
related skill sets with an emphasis on digital research and pedagogy, 
The University of Texas Libraries (UTL) at the University of Texas at 
Austin has reorganized its Academic Engagement division and related 
approach to liaison work twice in the past two years.


Iterative Evolution of the Liaison Librarian Role: A Brief Case Study
Jenifer Flaxbart, Assistant Director of Research Support and Digital Initiatives, The University of Texas Libraries at the University of Texas at Austin Recognizing a need to evolve subject liaison responsibilities and related skill sets with an emphasis on digital research and pedagogy, The University of Texas Libraries (UTL) at the University of Texas at Austin has reorganized its Academic Engagement division and related approach to liaison work twice in the past two years.
The first iteration (in August 2016) established a large Research department comprised of four subject-specific liaison teams, still reflected in the four core collections foci of arts and humanities; global studies; science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM); and social sciences. These four teams were led by staff who were also liaisons themselves. The Research department also included Collections and associated staff managing print and electronic monograph, journal, and database subscriptions at the UT Austin and UT System levels. The Teaching and Learning Services department added service-point coordination and related staff to its team of instruction-focused functional experts. A newly created Digital Scholarship Team, comprised of functional experts aligned with the research life cycle, rounded out the Academic Engagement division. While aspects of this arrangement worked well, the Research department was too large and there was limited cross-collaboration between and communication among liaisons on the four subjectspecific teams.
As of fall semester 2017, UTL created multidisciplinary "Engagement Teams" comprised of liaisons with individual subject-based portfolios working together with a particular focus. This transition aligned liaisons with similar strengths and interests, including teaching, data and digital approaches to research, and collection management, while commingling disciplinary portfolios to reflect the interdisciplinary nature of modern research. Teaching and Learning Services took on an Engagement Team, a new department called Research Support and Digital Initiatives was created and took on two Engagement Teams in addition to the Digital Scholarship Team, and a new Scholarly Resources department was created for oversight of core, distinctive, and UT System-level collections workflows.
There are three Engagement Teams, each reporting to a team lead who is also a subject liaison: As mentioned, the Engagement Teams approach serves to align areas of affinity and encourage interdisciplinary collaboration. And it allows subject liaisons to focus on projects suited to their interests and strengths (digital learning object creation, text mining or digital exhibitions, or print and electronic collections work) while working with others across Engagement Teams to develop alliances for loadbalancing by sharing teaching, digital-focused projects, and collection development responsibilities.
This iterative evolution of roles and organizational relationships requires ongoing discussion, assessment, and adjustment. In the midst of these changes, we are also monitoring our budget and needs for ...the Engagement Teams approach serves to align areas of affinity and encourage interdisciplinary collaboration.
expertise and capacity that we lack, all of which factor into decisions we make to support both our faculty and students as well as our staff.
Questions about this model are welcomed by the author at jflaxbart@ austin.utexas.edu.