Reference and Information Service Section Conference and Exhibition 6-8 September 1999, Sydney Hilton, Australia

Liaison: Today's Partnerships Shape Tomorrow's Success

Today we measure the past in terms of years, rather than decades. Rapid organizational change has occurred in tandem with reduced government funding. There is a growing momentum towards an environment where online teaching and learning are becoming mainstream. This paper will discuss the provision of information services in a changing university environment where the expressed needs of staff and students are varied and diverse. Deakin University Library meets those needs through a strong liaison program, and through the provision of online services and instruction.

The focus has moved from generalist Library assistance to a service provided by a specialist liaison librarian with strong links to faculty areas. Collaborative working relationships and teaching partnerships have been developed to meet staff and student resource and curriculum needs, now and into the future.

Bernadette Lingham, Faculty Liaison Librarian - Arts, Deakin University