The Subject Liaison’s Survival Guide to Technical Services

Book excerpt: Subject liaisons act as a bridge connecting academic departments to the library and its services, helping facilitate instruction sessions, research support, and collection development. To be at their best in these roles, subject liaisons need a working understanding of technical services functions. This book represents the first guide to speak directly to the needs and responsibilities of subject liaisons, clearing away unnecessary information and jargon to bring them up to speed on how technical services staff get things done. Clear and concise, this guide covers policy, budgets and funding, submitting orders, acquisitions ordering, processing, cataloging, deselection and weeding, and other major technical services duties; includes appropriate background information on each topic to enhance readers' understanding; provides "Questions You Should Be Asking" connected to each chapter which encourage subject liaisons to be proactive in their learning; and offers a glossary of common technical services terms. Armed with this guide's targeted information, subject liaisons will be able to better position themselves to serve both instructors and the library effectively.