Strengthening Research Support: Scholarly Communication Training for Liaison Librarians

The development of open access reports (OARs) was initiated to equip liaison librarians at an R1 research library with the knowledge needed to assist faculty with scholarly publishing. This initiative responded to an increasing number of scholarly communication-related inquiries from faculty and students, highlighting the need for more training in this area. The literature indicates a growing recognition of scholarly communication as a core competency for liaison librarians. While librarians have been integrating these competencies into their practices, there remains an ongoing need for training and development. The study involved creating 16 OARs tailored to specific academic disciplines, utilizing a combination of free and subscription resources to compile data on publishing practices and citation insights. Surveys conducted before and after the dissemination of the reports evaluated the impact on librarians' knowledge and confidence levels. The findings suggest that developing scholarly communication literacy among liaison librarians can improve their confidence and effectiveness in supporting faculty publishing practices. The collaboration between liaison librarians and the Scholarly Communications Librarian is essential for fostering partnerships with faculty and enhancing the library's role in research support.