Improving Library Relations with the Faculty and University Administrators: The Role of the Faculty Outreach Librarian

An academic library’s most powerful constituents are faculty and administrators. In an attempt to satisfy the needs of individual departments and faculty members, many libraries employ subject specialists. To the degree that a subject specialist is proactive, or the department is heavily dependent on the library’s services, those needs will be met. However, few libraries have developed systematic programs to reach all faculty members or to begin targeting university administrators as a special user group. The rationale for doing so is twofold: to educate them on the growing role of information technology in research and teaching, and to enhance their support for new electronic resources. At George Washington University, the position of faculty outreach librarian was created to fill such a need. This article discusses how that position evolved, the projects initiated, and the outcomes that have led to revised marketing strategies.