Embedded Librarianship

Xavier University Library is exited to provide embedded librarian services to the XULA community. Embedding a librarian into your courses (particularly your Brightspace courses) allows librarians to provide proactive, ongoing support for students as they work through assignments and course materials. This gives students an opportunity to engage with the library beyond the one-shot instruction class, and also helps free you up to work more closely with content.

Embedding library resources into your courses ensures that students are using both affordable and up-to-date resources that are closely aligned to course goals and objectives.

An embedded librarian can (this is non-exhaustive and can be tailored with your embedded librarian):

• Curate custom research guides, learning modules, and library materials to support learning
• Engage in online discussions with students
• Respond to student research questions
• Review student submissions to assist with tailoring learning objects
• Partner with you in developing digital learning objects
• Provide virtual office hours specifically for students enrolled in your courses

And much, much more. The level of support you receive from your embedded librarian can be tailored to meet student needs.

Thomas and McIntosh (2013) found that both students and faculty found that an embedded librarian increased student outcomes for community college students

Franzen and Sharkey (2021) found similar results in their case study focusing on nursing students.