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Poster: http://library.med.utah.edu/mcmla2013/gensichen_poster.pdf
Title: Remote Librarianship: The Electronic Resources Librarian at a Distance
Authors: Tom Gensichen, Mary Helms and Ann Kaste
Affiliation: McGoogan Library of Medicine, University of Nebraska Medical Center
Abstract:
Background
In August 2012, the University of Nebraska Medical Center’s electronic resources librarian’s family decided to make an out-of-state move. She requested that her supervisors consider distance employment since most of her work was web-based and was not location dependent. This arrangement was approved and has been in place since that time.
Objectives
- To illuminate the benefits and drawbacks of remote librarianship, from the distance employee’s, supervisors’, and coworkers’ perspectives
- To identify the technical and interpersonal requirements and skills required to make distance librarianship work
- To generate a list of guidelines for libraries to use to determine if a job can function as a distance position
Methods
- Interviews/Surveys of supervisors and coworkers
- Literature/ Social Media Review
Results
Results will discuss the interview/survey results and examples in the literature/social media forums of distance librarian arrangements.
Conclusions
Conclusions will detail the pros and cons of distance librarianship, discuss the requirements that must be in place to have a successful distance librarian agreement, and list suggested guidelines for libraries to use when determining whether or not to approve a remote work situation.