Liaison Support & Instruction

Library Instruction & Faculty Support

Learn how to connect with librarians and request library support for your courses. Here you'll find information on:

• Connecting with your liaison librarian for course-integrated support and research collaboration

• Requesting library instruction sessions or class visits for synchronous or hybrid courses 

• Requesting video content for asynchronous courses 

• Scheduling one-on-one research consultations through the Meet with a Librarian service

• Exploring faculty development opportunities to reduce textbook costs for students and integrate information literacy and AI literacy in your courses

• Sharing video tutorials to help students navigate library resources

Connect with Your Liaison Librarian

Each academic department or school has a designated liaison librarian who serves as the primary point of contact for faculty. Liaisons are available to support your teaching and research needs by providing personalized research assistance, collaborating on assignment design, and leading library instruction sessions tailored to your course.

We also encourage you to refer students to our Meet with a Librarian service for one-on-one research help—available both online and in person. While students are welcome to meet with any librarian, connecting with the liaison may be especially helpful, as they are more likely to be familiar with your assignments and subject area resources. Instructors are also welcome to use this service to easily schedule a meeting with a librarian.

Liaison librarians (left to right): Yvonne Tran, Lauren Johnson, Maggie Harris, Alena Manjuck, Christine Joy Caro

Who is my Liaison Librarian?

Liaison librarians are listed by assigned area below. Click on the librarian's name to view their contact information and a list of area-specific library guides. 

Liaison librarian areas may shift over time. Please check this page for current liaison assignments.

Library Instruction & Class Visits

The library offers two types of instructional support for in-person, hybrid, and synchronous online classes: Library Instruction Sessions and Class Visits. These services are designed to introduce students to research skills, tools, and library services, and to support faculty in fostering information literacy across the curriculum.

Library Instruction Sessions

Library Instruction Sessions are full-period, interactive classes led by a librarian. These sessions are designed to teach students how to effectively conduct academic research using library tools and resources. Ideal for classes with a current research assignment, these sessions can be tailored to course content and specific learning objectives.

What’s Covered:

• Formulating research questions

• Using effective search strategies, including Boolean operators, keyword selection, and filters/limiters

• Evaluating the credibility of sources and distinguishing between scholarly and popular materials

• Identifying subject-specific databases, journals, and research tools relevant to the assignment

Scheduling Requirements:

• It is strongly recommended that students have a research assignment in progress

• The instructor must be present for the duration of the session

Please submit library instruction requests at least two weeks before your preferred instruction date. This advance notice allows us time to prepare materials and tailor the session to your course needs. While we make every effort to accommodate requests received with less than two weeks' notice, we may not be able to fulfill all requests.

Request a Library Instruction Session

Class Visits

Class Visits are brief, 5–15 minute drop-ins by a librarian at the beginning or end of your synchronous or hybrid class. These visits are ideal for early-semester introductions and provide students with an overview of how to connect with the library.

What’s Covered:

• Introduction to the librarian and their role

• How to contact the library or schedule a Meet with a Librarian consultation

• Where to find library search tools and databases

Class Visits are a great way to familiarize students with research support services in a low-pressure format and help them feel comfortable reaching out for help.

Please submit requests at least two weeks before your preferred visit date.  Schedules can fill up quickly, particularly at the beginning of each semester, and we may not be able to fulfill requests made on shorter notice. 

Request a Class Visit

Questions?

If you're unsure which option is the best fit for your course, your liaison librarian would be happy to discuss your goals and recommend the right type of support. 

Library Support for Online Courses

Are you teaching an asynchronous online course and want to connect your students to research help? The library can support your class even when you're not meeting in real time.

Your liaison librarian can create a short, personalized video to introduce themselves and highlight subject-specific library resources and services for your students. These videos are an easy way to embed research support directly into your course site or module.

What’s Included in the Video?

Each video (up to 5 minutes long) includes:

• A friendly introduction to your liaison librarian

• An overview of key library resources and research tools for your subject area

• A walkthrough of the relevant subject guide

• Instructions on how students can schedule a Meet with a Librarian appointment for personalized help

How to Request a Video

Just fill out our short request form, and your liaison librarian will follow up to confirm the details and timeline. Video turn around time is a minimum of two weeks from confirmed request. 

Request a Video

Meet with a Librarian

The Meet with a Librarian consultation service offers an easy way for you to connect one-on-one with a librarian.  You can schedule a consultation with a librarian to:

• Get oriented to library services, collections, and research tools—especially helpful for new faculty

• Discuss a research assignment and explore how to integrate library resources or instruction into your course

• Receive research assistance on your scholarly work

• Ask general questions about databases, journals, citation management, or any aspect of the Library’s offerings

   

How to Schedule an Appointment

Appointments last approximately 30 minutes and can be scheduled to take place in person or virtually via Zoom. 

To make an appointment, click the button below to choose your preferred meeting format, librarian, and date/time.

You’ll receive a confirmation email with details on where to meet your librarian for in-person appointments, or a Zoom link for virtual meetings. If you need to cancel or reschedule, use the cancellation link provided in the email.

Schedule Meet with a Librarian

Need Help Deciding?

If you're not sure who to meet with or what kind of support best fits your needs, contact your liaison librarian for help.  

Faculty Development

The University Library is proud to support faculty in their teaching, research, and professional growth through a variety of development initiatives. Our past collaborations include:

No-Cost Textbook Institute & Grants Program

We’ve partnered with faculty to redesign courses using open and library-licensed materials. Instructors have developed no-cost courses that improve student access and affordability. For more information, check out the No-Cost Textbook Initiatives page. 

"The support, encouragement, and structure helped immensely when going outside the usual or traditional ways of teaching. I benefitted from developing relationships with the library staff and working with them to best meet the needs of my course."  - No-Cost Textbook Program Survey 

Information Literacy Development Initiative 

Library faculty collaborate with instructors across disciplines to embed information literacy into the curriculum. In supporting assignment design, we help students develop critical research and evaluation skills tailored to your course goals.

"This workshop was extremely helpful in getting my assignment put together."  - Information Literacy Program Survey

AI Literacy Initiative

As artificial intelligence tools continue to impact higher education, the library has led a workshop on integrating AI literacy into coursework. We support faculty in exploring ethical use, transparency, and teaching strategies related to AI tools.

"I liked learning about Primo and ideas of how to help students use AI in an ethical way."  - AI Literacy Program Survey

We’re always interested in developing new opportunities to collaborate. If you’d like to partner on future faculty development projects, please reach out to us.

Upcoming opportunities will be posted here as they arise, so check back regularly or connect with your liaison librarian to stay informed.