Library Liaison Program

The University Libraries encourages all faculty and staff to take advantage of services offered through our liaison program. Each department in the University has a librarian assigned to it as its liaison. Library liaisons offer two major kinds of services: Collection Development and Library Instruction & Consultation.

Collection Development

We encourage faculty to consult their library subject liaisons to make suggestions about materials which need to be added to our collections in order to enhance teaching and research.

We encourage faculty to review their departmental collection development statements and to help us to acquire the most relevant books, journals, and electronic resources for their needs.

Book order slips are available in each department and from the subject liaisons. Expensive book purchases and all serial/periodical subscription requests are reviewed by our collection development committee which meets every two weeks.

Library instruction and consultation

Each library subject liaison offers a variety of consultation and instruction services to faculty. These include:

  • Answering reference questions. Call the Central Reference Desk at (269) 387-5178 for answers to short reference questions or email your departmental liaison.
  • Phone or email your liaison for more extended research assistance. You may want to arrange an appointment with your liaison to learn more about electronic and paper resources to expedite your research. This service is also offered to students through the WRAP program (Western's Research Assistance Program), which offers individualized research advice by appointment with a librarian who has the appropriate subject expertise.
  • Subject Liaisons also offer Library Instructional Sessions specially designed to meet the needs of specific classes you are teaching. Usually these instructional sessions are held in Waldo Library, the Music Library, or the Education Library during the time one of your classes normally meets. Call your liaison to arrange an appointment for one of these sessions.