Following leads: Using faculty focus groups to spark creativity and enhance collaboration

Our belief is that today’s research and teaching needs have changed and that it is crucial for librarians to follow up on those changes in order to be and stay relevant in terms of library-faculty liaison objectives but also in terms of the university’s learning objectives and learning outcomes. With this in mind, AUP and AUC each conducted a number of faculty focus groups to review professors’ research and teaching needs and discuss opportunities for collaboration beyond the traditional role of liaison to a department or school. The findings will be embedded within the scope of library literature on faculty liaison work. Besides, we will give examples of how these focus groups have led to new connections with faculty members at AUC and AUP.