A case study: the evolution of a facilitator model liaison program in an academic medical library

Question: What type of liaison program would best utilize both librarians and other library staff to effectively promote library services and resources to campus departments? Setting: The case is an academic medical center library serving a large, diverse campus. Methods: The library implemented a facilitator model program to provide personalized service to targeted clients that allowed for maximum staff participation with limited subject familiarity. To determine success, details of liaison-contact interactions and results of liaison and department surveys were reviewed. Results: Liaisons successfully recorded 595 interactions during the program's first 10 months of existence. A significant majority of departmental contact persons (82.5%) indicated they were aware of the liaison program, and 75% indicated they preferred email communication. Conclusion: The facilitator model provides a well-defined structure for assigning liaisons to departments or groups; however, training is essential to ensure that liaisons are able to communicate effectively with their clients.