Eingebettet in the German Department

by Brian Vetruba (bvetruba@wustl.edu)

Having regular contact with faculty and students in the academic departments with which we liaise can be a challenge for all of us. Despite sitting at reference desks or holding office hours in the library, many of us may feel disconnected to our primary user groups. One solution is to have a visible and regular presence where students and faculty congregate and work. Having read about the success some librarians had with holding office hours outside the library, I decided to try it out. When I approached the German Department faculty last August about holding office hours in the department, all were very enthusiastic. In fact, two faculty members volunteered their offices in the event a spot could not be found. Thus, I began holding drop-in hours twice weekly in the German Department. During the first few weeks, no one visited, and I began having doubts about the payoff this enterprise would have.

Then, I became more assertive in making my presence known. At the beginning of the hour, I hung signs in the departmental office. I began walking the halls and greeting faculty and students. I stopped by the teaching assistants’ office where many graduate students congregate. I would even take the long route to the men’s restroom in order to pass by more faculty offices. I quickly started having productive hallway conversations with faculty and students.

These informal interactions with faculty and students would more often than not turn into library-related questions. We would start talking about the weather or the news, and then the faculty member or student would mention difficulty finding resources on a particular topic or with an ILL request. Chats with students would result in future research consultation appointments. Faculty commented that they found this a great service since they didn’t need to remember to e-mail or call me.

Along with increased contact with faculty and graduate students, I also got to know the departmental administrative staff better, which also proved valuable in furthering my outreach. I’m now included in the departmental directory and on the invite list for events. During the redesign of the departmental website, I assisted one staff member in finding copyright information for an image, which led to the added benefit of having my own page on the departmental site.

Besides these scheduled drop-in office hours, I made a concerted effort to attend both formal and informal departmental events. Each week the department hosts a Kaffeestunde (coffee hour) which I attend regularly. Much like my hallway conversations, these chats would sometimes lead to reference questions. In fact, I have now gotten in the habit of bringing paper and pen to take notes. After the coffee hour, I hurry back to the library to answer the question by e-mail that same afternoon.

I should point out that not all conversations end with a library question. In fact, most don’t; but without a doubt, regular in-person contact with faculty and students helps to remind them of the services you can provide. The rapport you build will also help to break down inhibitions faculty and students might have about asking for help.

Despite the obvious time commitment, being embedded each week in the German Department has proved invaluable in meeting the needs of my core group of library users in a convenient and timely manner.

Tips for being embedded:

 Publicize your presence.

 Try to get a spot in a high-traffic area.

 Don’t hide out in your office. Walk the hallways often.

 Bring work with you for those down times.

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