Roles for Librarians in Research Impact Services

The live session took place on Tuesday, August 11. You can access the recording of the session by selecting the "Access recording" button and using password: z9=M.1bC

Session Format: The session will be a hybrid between a panel and a fishbowl in which the panelists introduce the roles and guide a series of discussions with the audience about the activities performed in each role and the knowledge and skills necessary to perform them.

Objective: Demand for research impact services at medical libraries is growing, but guidelines and best practices on providing these services are scarce. In this session, we reflect on the ways that research impact services have been implemented at our and other organizations and, based on those experiences, offer a preliminary set of roles that medical librarians can fill in providing these services. Through a series of guided discussions with the audience, we will introduce and refine both the roles themselves and the knowledge and skills necessary to perform each role. By the end of the session, participants will have a better understanding of the different forms that research impact services can take in medical libraries and how those services can be implemented at their own institutions.
Instructional

Methods: The session will begin with a brief presentation introducing what the four roles are and how they relate to each other. There will then be a series of guided discussions on each of the roles facilitated by librarians actively engaged in each role. The discussions will describe the activities performed in each role, highlight the knowledge and skills needed to perform these activities, and provide ample time for audience participation in defining these roles. The session will conclude with a brief recap of the discussions and a series of suggestions on how librarians can implement one or more of these roles in their own libraries.
Participant Engagement: During the guided discussions, participants will be encouraged to talk about how they are or are not implementing these roles in their own libraries. Participants will also be encouraged to ask questions of both the panelists and their fellow participants.
Sponsors: This session is co-sponsored by the MLA Data Caucus and the MLA Translational Sciences Collaboration Caucus.