The document discusses embedded librarianship and provides examples from the University of Johannesburg Sciences Librarian. It defines embedded librarianship as librarians becoming integral parts of the units and groups they work with. The UJ Sciences Librarian discusses establishing partnerships within the Sciences Faculty and departments, providing instruction in classrooms and online, and using social media and mobile technologies to connect with students and faculty. The librarian provides practical tips and examples of activities like attending department events, collaborating on curriculum support, and maintaining a presence on the learning management system and social media.

1. The Embedded Librarian: using
Technology in Service Delivery
..... OR
How to get in “BED” with your Users 
Pavlinka Kovatcheva, Faculty Librarian: Sciences
University of Johannesburg
Find me on: Twitter:@ujlibscience; Facebook & LinkedIn
11th Southern African Online Information Meeting (SAOIM)
Sandton Convention Centre, Johannesburg
“Innovation in an Age of Limits”, 6 June 2012

2. Transit of Venus
5 – 6 June 2012
Source

3. The journey of being an Embedded Librarian starts now:
• The Metamorphosis Life of a Librarian
• Definitions of Embedded Librarianship
• The Embedded Librarianship attributes
• The Embedded Librarianship requirements & tasks
• Planning for embedded librarianship @ your library
• Embedded Librarianship practice @ UJ
• The Sciences Embedded Librarian: Practical Tips
- Professional Associations
- The embedded librarian in Faculty & Departments
- The embedded librarian in the Classroom
- The embedded librarian: in the Virtual Learning Environment
- The embedded librarian and Social Networking
- The Mobile embedded librarian
• Competencies for Embedded Librarians
• Conclusion

4. • The 80s – The traditional role
• The 90s – The transitional role
• The 1st decade of the 21st Century
- The growing online access to Information Resources
- The implementation of Web 2.0 Technologies
- The increase use of Mobile Technologies
- The practice of Embedded Librarianship
• The 2nd decade of the 21st Century
- It is all about Social Media & Networking , Mobile
Devices & Applications, eReaders & Tablets, Open
Access, Embedded Librarianship, etc.
The Metamorphosis Life of a Librarian

5. • “Embedded librarianship takes a librarian out
of the context of the traditional library and
places him/her in an “on-site” setting or
situation that enables close coordination and
collaboration with researchers or teaching
faculty” (Carlson & Kneale, 2011)
• Embedded = An integral part to the whole.
An element without which the whole could not
be what it is. David Shumaker (2011) refined
this to mean that librarians become integral
parts to the units and groups in which they
work.
Definitions of Embedded Librarianship

6. • Relationship building with faculty and user groups
• Customer centric not Library centric
• Located in the customer’s workplace, not the
librarian’s workplace
• Focussed on specific groups, not entire populations
• Composed of specialists, not generalists
• Aiming for analysis and synthesis (re-packaging) not
simply delivery
• Trusted advisors, not only delivering information /
services as specified by the customer
(Shumaker & Tally, 2009)
The Embedded Librarianship Attributes:

7. Requirements for Embedded Librarians:
• Embedded librarian have background in both librarianship and the
subject matter important to their customer group
• Embedded librarians also have extensive relevant informal
education and practical experience
• Continues learning is important to embedded librarians
The Embedded Librarians tend to provide complex, value-added
service to their customer groups:
• Training on the use of information services
• Ready reference, quick fact checking, citation verification
• In-depth topical search
• Collection Development
• Provide “how to” manuals, pathfinders, etc.
• Evaluating, synthesising & summarizing literature
• Content management for web, intranet & wiki sites
• Sharing instructional responsibilities (Shumaker & Tally, 2009)
The Embedded Librarian: Requirements & Tasks

8. • Background: summary of the organisational context
• Embedded Librarian Engagement: overview of the organisational
units and information user groups in which librarians are embedded
• Nature of the Librarians’ Contribution: the work performed by
embedded librarians
• Communication and Promotion: How members of the
organisations are informed about the embedded model
• Evaluation: How the work of the embedded librarians is evaluated
• Management Advocacy (Faculty): How information user group
managers and senior organisational leaders support the embedded
model
• Management Advocacy (Library): How library management
supports embedded librarians and develops the embedded method
Planning for Embedded Librarianship (Shumaker, 2011)
@ your Library

9. • What we did?
• What has change?
• Focus on embedded
librarianship
• Planning and implementation
• Are the librarians equipped to
be embedded librarians?
Embedded librarianship
practice @ UJ

10. • Implementation of UJ Faculty Librarians positions in 2010-2011
• Changed the Job Descriptions to include embedded and blended
librarianship
- Embedded: partners with faculty to embed personalised
assistance to staff & students; acts and serves as research coach
- Blended: improves collaboration to become instructional
partner; connects with learners....; provides new tools for sharing
information literacy and research process insights; takes
leadership initiatives to integrate the academic library & librarian
into the teaching and learning process.
• Workshop on social networking for librarians (Nov 2011)
• Beginning of 2012: Adopt the use of VLE: EduLink
• May 2012: Workshop on Embedded librarianship to set-up the
scene and discuss the implementation
Embedded Librarianship practice @ UJ

11. THE SCIENCES EMBEDDED LIBRARIAN:
PRACTICAL TIPS
UJ Sciences Librarian examples:
• Professional Associations
• The embedded librarian in Faculty & Departments
• The embedded librarian in the Classroom
• The embedded librarian: in the Virtual Learning
Environment (VLE)
• The embedded librarian and Social Networking
•The Mobile embedded librarian

12. The Librarians should join Subject /
Professional Associations
• To connect with relevant groups
• To share & communicate information
and knowledge, that can benefit to the
partnership with the faculty, teaching and
learning
Example:
• IAMSLIC and SLA-PAM; SAOUG
• Listserv of SLA-PAM – platform to learn
the latest in those subject areas, create
conversations; document delivery;
• Sharing with colleagues from different
countries & institutions
• Attending Subject related Conferences Embedded librarian:
Joins Subject / Professional
Associations

13. THE EMBEDDED LIBRARIAN:
UJ SCIENCE FACULTY AND DEPARTMENTS
Partnership in the making

14. “New facts learnt today: UJ had over 84 000 applications
from kids who wanted to study with us in 2012, and only
11 000 were accepted in the different programs. Scary
numbers! Faculty of Science accommodates 32% of all
students at UJ (including Health and Engineering students
- about 3 500 first years alone), but government is
pushing for more, so our faculty will grow dramatically
in the next few years”. (1st year Academy workshop;
Nicolette Niemann, Biotechnology Department, FB)
UJ Faculty of Science registered students for 2012:
New students Continuing students Total
1161 2159 3320
Kingsway Campus Doornfontein Campus
2643 677

15. Faculty Departments
• Regular meetings with the Dean of • Visits to Departments
Science (advice on budgets, • Library trainings on available
subscriptions of e-resources, resources, searches, Refworks,
curriculum & research support, etc.) getting published, etc.
• Attend Faculty Board meetings • Develop & maintain Sciences
• Participate in Faculty 1st Year Subject Portals
Experience and Academy • Attend Departmental meetings
• Member of the Faculty Teaching & • Collaborate on Curriculum courses
Learning committee & Virtual Learning Environment
• Member of the Faculty Website • Support to Researchers with
committee searches, NRF accreditation, library
• Attend Faculty Open lectures; issues, etc.
Initiatives; Awards; End of the Year • Collection Development
Functions; Community engagement • Attend postgraduates, visiting
• Communication with Faculty offices researchers & staff presentations
Build Partnership with the Sciences Faculty & Departments

16. The Embedded Librarian:
UJ Faculty of Science,
1st year Academy
workshop, 28 May 2012

17. Attends the
Faculty of Science
Open Lectures

18. The Embedded librarian:
Attends Departments
Research workshops

19. Embedded Librarian:
Physics
Department

20. The Embedded
Librarian:
Faculty &
Departments
websites

21. The Embedded librarian:
Library/Vendors Training
for Departmental staff &
Postgraduate Researchers

22. The Embedded Librarian:
Get Social with your Faculty

23. THE EMBEDDED LIBRARIAN:
LIBRARY INFORMATION LITERACY
IN THE CLASSROOM
• First year experience: Presentation during the Faculty
orientation; Library tours; Brochures; Pictures – video)
• Curriculum course, 1st year students: Civics for
Sciences: Copyright & Plagiarism;
• Curriculum course: Library assignments & Instructions:
Biology 1; Biochemistry 1; Chemistry 2; Zoology 2
• Library training instructions in Computer Labs,
Sciences Labs and Lecture hall

24. YouTube video
The Embedded Librarian:
UJ Faculty of Science:
1st Year Orientation 2012

25. Information Literacy
on Copyright &
Plagiarism:
Sciences for Civics
1st year students,
October 2011
The Embedded Librarian: Curriculum Course

26. • Plan at the beginning of the 1st Semester
of 2012 with the Pracs’ lecturers
• 144 students in 2 groups over 2 weeks
time;
• 4 Library training sessions @ the Lab:
Access & searching for resources &
Plagiarism, citing & referencing
• Questionnaire & assessment on
referencing after the second training
• Library support on EduLink (Virtual
Learning environment)
• Develop with the lecturer 5 library
questions in the semester test.
• Positive feedback from the lecturers as
compare to previous years. More time for
hands-on training is required
The Embedded Librarian:
Curriculum Course: Biology 1

27. The Embedded Librarian:
Subject/Assignment Specific Library Training in the Classroom

28. Embedded Librarian:
Joined training
Department - Library
@ Computer lab
Staff, MSc & PhD’s

29. THE EMBEDDED LIBRARIAN:
LIBRARY INTEGRATION INTO THE
VIRTUAL LEARNING ENVIRONMENT
The literature identifies the virtual learning
environment (VLE) both as a way of
•organising online information and learning
resources by subject, and as a
•medium for delivering crucial information skills and
information literacy tutorials developed for
library users. (Corrall, 2011)

30. UJ Sciences Librarian Portal
http://ujsciencelibrarian.pbworks.com/

32. The library resources
are embedded into
the student learning
space
Benefits:
• Once stop access
• 24/7
• Easy communication
• Online assessment
and feedback
The Embedded librarian has presence @
Virtual Learning Environment (EduLink)

33. Sciences Librarian presence on EduLink

34. Sciences
Librarian:
EduLink
Support

35. EduLink
Support:
Biology 1

36. Sciences
Librarian:
EduLink
Support
Postgrads

37. EduLink Sciences Library Resources Stats:
February- 4 June 2012

38. Academics make use of Google groups:
The students and the librarian are on the same space for open discussion;
- Learn about students problems;
- The students experience with assignments;
- How they feel about social issues;
- Lecturer share semester marks and learn more about how
- Learn about curriculum;
- “tag” proposed articles by lecturer; etc.
- The lecture make use of iPad and most of the students reply via their phones

39. THE EMBEDDED LIBRARIAN:
SOCIAL NETWORKING
The Embedded librarian make use of Web 2.0
tools to ENHANCE her TRADITIONAL role by
contributing, sharing and collaborating with patron

40. Why Use Social
Networking tools?
To be where our users and
potential users are......
socially!

41. You can create your Library Facebook pages, but you can also embed
yourself into your institution Facebook pages:
University of Johannesburg on Facebook:
• University of Johannesburg page (Likes: 5,748)
• UJ Research page (Likes: 497)
• UJ Faculties & Departments pages
Librarian presence on Facebook:
• The UJ Sciences Librarian Hot Alert Facebook Page (Likes: 61)
• Pavlinka Kovatcheva – personal Facebook (friends with Faculty
members & students; International & Local Librarians)
• Other Library pages (UJ Reads, Subject Librarians, etc.)
The Embedded Librarian make use of : Facebook

42. UJ & Sciences Departments @ Facebook

43. Embedded Widgets on the
UJ Sciences Portal & EduLink

44. The Mobile Embedded Librarian

46. What are a QR Codes? Steps in creating QR
• The QR Codes are 2 Code:
dimensional barcodes that are • Find a QR Code Generator
easily scanned using mobile (perform a Google search)
phones • Type the information, such
• Your mobile phone need to as text or a URL, which
have the QR Code option to will be converted (qurified)
install. into a barcode.
• When you scan the barcode
with your mobile, the code
will be then converted
(dequrified) into the coded
text or URL
QR Codes

47. How to use in the library:
• Check-in
• Leave tips for those visiting the
library
• Become the Meyer of the
library
• Connect with users
• Leave a comment or suggestion
• Post library pictures
• Reward your visitors 
Embedded librarian:
Foursquare

48. Foursquare: Tips for the library

49. Instant Messaging (IM)
Embedded MeeboMe Connect to Mobile MeeboMe
on the Sciences Portal

50. The Embedded Librarian Playground:
Pinterest
http://pinterest.com
•Pinterest is a virtual pinboard.
•Pinterest allows you to organise and share all
the beautiful things you find on the web.
•You can browse pinboards created by other
people to discover new things and get
inspiration from people who share your
interests.

51. http://pinterest.com/ujlibscience/

52. Pinterest
@ your
Library

53. Competencies for Embedded Librarianship
http://www.wordle.net/

54. • Be THE TRADITIONAL LIBRARIAN, but adapt to the
changing world
• Learn how to use the Social & Technological tools to improve
relationships and communication with your patrons. Be THE
SOCIAL NETWORKING LIBRARIAN
• Help your Library with the implementation of the Mobile
Technologies, be THE MOBILE LIBRARIAN.
• Practice Embedded Librarianship by establishing trust,
collaboration, sharing and partnership with your Faculty and
students. Be the EMBEDDED LIBRARIAN.
• It is a challenge being a MODERN 21st Century librarian
• The Librarians need to ADAPT, to learn new SKILLS, to play
new ROLES and function productively in the Age of Limits.
• Going to “BED” with your users – the technology works for me
24/7.
In Conclusion

55. Carlson, J. & Kneale R. 2011. Embedded librarianship in the research
context: navigating new waters. College & Research Libraries News, 72
(3):167-170 (http://crln.acrl.org/content/72/3/167.full)
Corrall, S. & Keates, J. 2011. The subject librarian and the virtual learning
environment: A study of UK universities. Program: electronic library
and information systems. 45(1):29-49
Shumaker, D & Tally, M. 2009. Models of Embedded Librarianship Final
Report. [Online]. Available at
http://www.sla.org/pdfs/EmbeddedLibrarianshipFinalRptRev.pdf.
Accessed 3 June 2012.
Shumaker, David. 2011. The embedded librarian [Online]. Available at
http://embeddedlibrarian.com/2011/07/09/another-definition-of-
embedded/ Blog post 9 July 2011, Accessed 2 June 2012
Shumaker, D. 2011. Models of Embedded Librarianship: Addendum 2011.
[Online]. Available at
References

56. Pavlinka Kovatcheva
Tel: 011 559 2621
E-mail: pkovatcheva@ uj.ac.za
UJ Sciences Librarian Portal:
http://ujsciencelibrarian.pbworks.com/FrontPage
Slide Share Presentations:
http://www.slideshare.net/pavlinka163/presentations
………… just GOOGLE ME 
Thank you