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Manuscript R09-013
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Manuscript R09-013
A Pilot Study
Mary K. Crozier received her doctorate from the College of William and Mary in Virginia
and currently teaches at East Carolina University. Her research focus is addictions
counseling and substance abuse prevention. Amy E. Blevins received her MALS from the
East Carolina University. Her research focus is on instructional technologies and design. Sherrá
University. Suzanne Hudson received her doctorate from the University of Oregon and is
Abstract
As distance education courses increase on college campuses, new methods are needed to ensure
that students’ experiences and outcomes are equivalent to those of onsite students. This pilot
study was conducted to examine the development, benefits, and challenges of providing an
rehabilitation studies department. An embedded librarian worked with the course instructor to
provide customized materials and library instruction to students through a course management
system which resulted in a positive change in the use of online scholarly resources.
The Role of an Embedded Librarian in Substance Abuse Counseling Courses: A Pilot Study
Distance education (DE) is an “increasingly visible feature” (Lewis, Snow, Farris, Levin,
& Greene, 1999, p. iii) of postsecondary education. Institutions of higher education have
experienced a steady increase in the number of DE courses offered at the undergraduate and
graduate levels. A survey of over 4000 institutions found that 57% of institutions with
undergraduate programs and 63% of institutions with graduate programs offered DE courses
(U.S. Department of Education, 2003). This trend may be due to improved student access,
increased graduation rates, appeal to non-traditional students (Sloan-C, 2007) and research on the
equivalent outcomes between distance and traditional education (Hollister & McGee, 2000;
Lewis, et al.).
Given the success of DE, substance abuse and rehabilitation departments have begun to
offer courses, certificates, and degrees online (Goodwin, 2006; Kennealley, 2002). Further
support for the use of DE in substance abuse courses comes from the research of Kennealley. Her
survey of substance abuse majors enrolled in on site and online courses in South Dakota showed
DE has changed the way education is delivered and future trends are unpredictable
(Lewis, et al.). This dynamic time in postsecondary education is seen as a challenge to educators.
The authors believe that more can be done to address the challenge by improving the delivery of
DE courses; in particular substance abuse and counseling courses. An initial improvement would
be to expand information literacy skills and encourage lifelong learning in students through the
use of the embedded librarian (EL) model. There is a dearth of research involving the use of an
EL within rehabilitation and substance abuse courses which prompted this pilot study.
The Role of an Embedded Librarian 4
Library instruction adds great value to the education experience by exposing students to
reliable and scholarly information sources and by giving them the skills to evaluate the
credibility of information. Unfortunately, students sometimes do not seek out library instruction
on their own because they do not know to ask, or because they think they already possess the
skills necessary to conduct a literature search. With the existence of internet search engines such
as Google, many students falsely believe that everything is easily accessible online and that all
online information is credible. Students may not realize, for example, that Google Scholar
contains information that is not peer-reviewed, such as conference proceedings and paper
abstracts. The reliability and credibility problems of Google Scholar are exacerbated by its
ranking system, which is in part based on the number of times a work is cited. This can make
older material appear to be more relevant (Google, 2009), a particular problem where health
Library instruction has been found to improve the quality and variety of resources used in
student research papers (Appleton, 2005). Thus, library instruction has been added as a
requirement for accreditation by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (Commission
on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, 2008) and library research
skills are a knowledge area in the Current CORE Accreditation Standards (Council on
Rehabilitation Education [CORE], 2008). Yet some students, especially those in distance courses,
do not have access to library instruction. Research at the Pennsylvania State University’s World
Campus found that many DE faculty did not provide library instruction to students because they
did not believe it was needed and were not aware that library instruction was available for DE
courses at their institution (Cahoy & Moyo, 2005). A study of midwifery students, however,
The Role of an Embedded Librarian 5
found that 80% of the course participants claimed they did not have sufficient information-
particular relevance was the establishment of outreach or distance-learning librarians (Kearley &
Phillips, 2005) who performed a variety of services including the creation of websites for DE
students and instructors and marketing of services to the distance faculty to ensure equal access
to information for all members of the institution regardless of their on or off-campus status
(Wyss, 2008).
Many institutions have taken the next step and integrated library services and staff into
teaching and course content with the integrated or blended librarian, the lurking librarian, or a
“librarian in the classroom” (Stewart, 2007, p. 29). It was determined that “embedding library
reference services and resources into courses was easily accomplished [however] links alone
were insufficient” (Kearley & Phillips, 2005, p. 71). Thus the EL model emerged. Although the
literature on embedded librarians is not new, the definition of an EL has not been standardized
nor has the training been uniform for librarians (York & Vance, 2009). The metaphor of the EL
was inspired by the phenomenon of embedding journalists in various military sectors during the
Iraq war. The concept of embedding implies comprehensive integration requiring direct and
purposeful interaction, in contrast to acting in parallel with another person, group, or activity
(Dewey, 2006). This purpose makes the concept of embedding appropriate for librarians in the
higher education community (Dewey, 2006). Vanderbilt University librarians have defined the
EL as “a librarian who audits a formal course with the students, is available to the students
before and after class for networking and for questions, and who identifies learning needs
The Role of an Embedded Librarian 6
throughout the semester and provides workshops and individualized instruction based on those
identified needs” (Foutch, Griffith, Lannom, Sommer, & Weiner, 2007, p. 4). Other institutions
While EL programs vary greatly from one institution to the next, there are some common
elements. Despite differing adjectives and applications, embedded librarians strive to follow
standards outlined by the Association of College and Research Libraries (Kinnie, 2006). The
Standards for Distance Learning Library Services contain a Bill of Rights for the Distance
Learning Community that states libraries must provide equivalent services for any student,
faculty, or staff member of the greater learning institution, and that efforts should be made to
accommodate any special needs that may arise because of their distance from the physical
institution (Association of College and Research Libraries, 2008). EL programs generally take
place in a course using a course management system (CMS) such as Blackboard, Sakai, or
Moodle. By placing library handouts and help materials within the CMS, the librarian ensures
that students will have access to all materials for the course and at the point when the students
are ready to use them. EL programs also enhance information literacy skills, including the ability
to realize when information is needed, know sources of information, evaluate information, and
use the information in an ethical manner (Mulherrin, Kelley, Fishman, & Orr, 2004). Thus, the
Students are more motivated and learn better when an instructional approach matches
their preferred learning style (Manuel, 2002) and their generational learning style (Johnson &
Romanello, 2005; Kipnis & Childs, 2004; Lower, 2008). The features of CMS and DE suit the
The Role of an Embedded Librarian 7
learning styles of students from the three different generations; Generation Y, who were born
from 1982-2002; Generation X, who were born from 1961-1981; and the Baby Boomer
Generation, who were born from1943-1960 (Johnson & Romanello, 2005). Generation Y
students are often characterized as technologically savvy with expectations that information will
be online at all times (Johnson & Romanello, 2005). In addition, they are said to have a short
attention span and to prefer to get information in bits and pieces rather than in a lengthy lecture
(Lower, 2008). Generation X shares some of the characteristics of Generation Y since both grew
up with video games and computers (Kipnis & Childs, 2004). They respond to visually
stimulating tutorials, customized information (Costello, Lenholt, & Stryker, 2004), instant
gratification and quick feedback, as well as boredom resistant and engaging material. Generation
Y and X will be accommodated by information on library resources that is available 24/7 so they
can work at their own pace rather than all at once with an EL who can add a homepage on his/her
contact information, professional experience, and credibility. Students from the Baby Boomer
Generation, however, may not be familiar with computers, CMS, or online learning (Johnson &
Romanello, 2005). The EL may alleviate stress for Baby Boomer students by making it easier for
them to access library resources in an online environment. The EL can tailor services to
accommodate the learning styles and readiness of these students (Bergen & MacAdam, 1985).
Librarians now serve students in virtual facilities and with resources found around the
globe. Course-related library instruction has migrated from physical to virtual learning
environments (Ladner, Beagle, Steele, & Steele, 2004). In this so-called classroom flip, lectures
are moved out of the classroom and into a CMS, homework is brought into the classroom where
there is more time for higher level discussion and practice, and conversations extend out of class
The Role of an Embedded Librarian 8
through the CMS discussion board (Kinnie, 2006). Academic librarians in general and embedded
librarians in particular weave library resources into CMS to ensure their vitality and relevance
(Fang & Kortz, 2005). In this way, the EL and instructor create an academic community for
students throughout the semester which gives intentional guidance to help deepen the level of
Librarians have traditionally worked with faculty to purchase materials, teach library
classes, create library research guides, and assist in their research (Buehler, 2004). In the era of
DE, librarians have posted simple links to library resources, helped to build courses, used course
management software (Love & Norwood, 2005), become co-instructors, assessed students
(Kinnie, 2006), and extended the traditional one-shot library lecture to distance learners (Cox,
2002). Shank and Dewald (as cited in Kinnie) see two models of librarian involvement in the
virtual classroom: macro-level library courseware involvement, which entails working with
course developers to integrate a global library presence in the CMS, and micro-level library
collaboration to better reach DE students, who in turn can spend less time navigating the library
and graduate level English or composition courses. EL’s at Central Missouri State University,
New Jersey City University, and Daniel Webster College post online tutorial topics such as ways
to use the library’s reference collection, read citations, locate newspaper articles and transcripts,
access materials not locally available, and access research conferences (Love & Norwood, 2005).
At Daniel Webster College and the Community College of Vermont, the EL helps with student
The Role of an Embedded Librarian 9
research papers (Love & Norwood, 2005). To gauge the effectiveness of this EL service, 12
student papers were randomly chosen and reviewed. It was concluded that students who used the
EL also used more peer reviewed resources, credible government websites, library subscription
databases, and placed less emphasis on unprofessional internet resources (Hearn, 2005). At the
Community College of Vermont and Pulaski Technical College, the librarian was embedded in a
discussion board (Matthew & Schroeder, 2006; Stewart, 2007). The EL program at Pulaski
Technical College was judged a success and well worth continuing (Stewart, 2007). The EL at
Vanderbilt University felt more prepared to consult with students after attending all lectures and
learning the course assignments (Foutch et al., 2007). The University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire
has found that “the most effective way for librarians to reach distance learners is through
cooperation (at least) and collaboration (at best) with teaching faculty to respond to the changing
landscape of online education” (Raspa & Ward, 2000, p. 150). The Community College of
Vermont’s EL program has demonstrated how, through a partnership approach with faculty,
comprehensive library instruction can be provided for online students in a meaningful and
integrated way (Matthew & Schroeder, 2006). Despite these varied examples of EL programs,
data suggest the EL is only involved in “10% of online courses at most institutions” (York &
Pilot Study
Department History
This pilot study was conducted at a large state university in Southeastern United States where
distance education has been increasing an average of 30% per year for the last five years. This
institution is now the largest deliverer of DE courses in the statewide university system (J.
Connelly, personal communication, May 6, 2009). The academic health sciences library serves
The Role of an Embedded Librarian 10
the College of Allied Health Sciences, College of Nursing, School of Dentistry, and School of
Medicine with a combined enrollment of 798 undergraduates and 1148 graduate students. The
library provides services and resources to both distance and on campus students. Most of the
services and resources offered to distance students are common among libraries; they include
access to online databases and full text online journals as well as interlibrary loan and document
delivery.
The library also runs a highly successful library liaison program. A liaison is assigned to
the College of Allied Health Sciences and another is assigned to the College of Nursing, while
two librarian liaisons serve the School of Medicine. The liaisons allow faculty in these colleges
to have a strong working relationship with one dedicated, specialized librarian, and involvement
with only one college or school allows the liaison to have a better knowledge of the courses
taught as well as the library needs in the college. One department in the College of Allied Health
Sciences served by the health sciences library is the Department of Rehabilitation Studies, which
has offered online courses for the last five years. This department has a particularly good
relationship with the library liaison and that has led to the development of EL services for DE
courses.
A new faculty member wanted to ensure that DE students were receiving services
equivalent to those of onsite students and to streamline the use of electronic resources. Thus, the
new faculty member collaborated with her library liaison to expand CMS components for her
students, especially DE students. To expand this collaboration, the library liaison became
embedded in the CMS of her three courses in Substance Abuse and Clinical Counseling. This
paper reports on a pilot study that examined the benefits of having an EL within three courses
using a Blackboard shell for the purpose of enhancing research skills and fostering lifelong
The Role of an Embedded Librarian 11
learning in students.
Method
Three Rehabilitation Studies courses in a CORE accredited program took part in this
pilot study to determine the benefits of having an EL. One of the courses had two sections, one
onsite and one DE. The other course was just onsite. All three courses had the same instructor as
well as the same EL who was added as a teaching assistant. The EL was given an opportunity to
place her contact information and link to the health sciences library homepage in the Instructor
Information section. The EL took an active role in the courses, including inserting materials into
the CMS to assist students with researching and writing the term paper; speaking to the class
about library search engines, referencing, and appropriate citations for the term paper; and
maintaining a discussion board forum for the DE course. Her role did not include grading course
work, nor did she have access to the gradebook in Blackboard. Although this library liaison made
presentations for courses in the Department of Rehabilitation Studies each semester, this was the
first course in which she was embedded via a CMS discussion board forum.
All three courses had similar CMS features. The most important was a link for Term
Papers where “Resources for your paper” was created with a short library orientation video;
library research guides for rehabilitation, substance abuse, and clinical counseling literature;
electronic databases; tutorials on using library resources; a “How Do I?” page, which included
frequently asked questions and answers; and a handout on finding, evaluating, and judging
credible websites. The instructor and EL collaborated on the research guides specific to
rehabilitation, substance abuse, and counseling literature, which included peer reviewed,
Although each course had all of these resources, there were some differences. For the DE
The Role of an Embedded Librarian 12
course, the EL offered a discussion board forum that addressed library and research questions.
This forum was explained in the library orientation video recorded and posted by the EL for the
DE course. For the onsite courses, a different library orientation video was recorded and posted;
it did not include information on the discussion board forum. In addition, the EL visited the two
Results
Institutional Review Board approval was given for this pilot study on knowledge about
and use of library resources and services. The electronic survey used Likert Scale, “check all that
apply” and open-ended items. There were 59 students in the two onsite courses and 16 students
in the online course, for a total of 75 students. Data were collected through an anonymous,
electronic pre-post survey (see Appendix) developed by the authors and through tracking the
number of students who viewed the library orientation video and the number of DE students
posting to the EL in her discussion board forum. No demographic data were collected.
Responses to the anonymous pre-survey (N=49, 65% response rate) were considered to
be representative of students in all three courses; however, the post-survey responses (N=29,
39% response rate) were not considered representative. Since the pre and post samples may not
have been equivalent groups, comparisons need to be interpreted cautiously. The pre and post
surveys asked about experiences with an EL, usefulness of and expectations for an EL, typical
resources used when completing course assignments, and learning preferences for library
materials. The overwhelming majority of students (87.5% in the pre-survey) had not previously
taken a course with an EL although they expected the EL and the discussion board forum to be a
useful component in the course (75.5% and 71.4%, respectively); percents given are the percent
of all people taking the survey. Students expected the EL to assist with navigating library
The Role of an Embedded Librarian 13
services and resources, searching for e-journals and full text articles, and referencing according
to American Psychological Association standards. A major change in the use of online scholarly
resources was found between the pre and post responses; for example, the percentages of
students who reported using the Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature
(CINAHL) and PsycInfo increased, while fewer students used Google. A final open-ended
question asked for suggestions about the EL program and general library services. All comments
in response to this final question were positive; for example students said,
I have learned a lot since I have been here from the librarian. Thank you.
Did not use the service this time, but probably should have. Some of the databases are
Data were also collected on the orientation video and the use of discussion board. Fifty-
one of the total 76 students in the three courses viewed the video; however, the length of time it
The EL received four questions and comments from students through the discussion
board:
1) a question on what types of materials were appropriate for referencing in a term paper
and how to find peer reviewed journals that covered the course topic of substance abuse;
3) a comment thanking the EL for mentioning that non-peer reviewed materials were not
The Role of an Embedded Librarian 14
4) a question about locating resources for specific aspects of the term paper.
Student responses in this pilot study showed positive movement toward reaching the EL
goals of enhancing research skills and fostering lifelong learning. At the semester’s end, the
online resources gathered specifically for these three substance abuse courses were taken out of
Blackboard and placed on the library’s electronic resources page under a special section titled
Discussion
There are many benefits of implementing an EL program. Librarians can help faculty
teach information literacy and provide materials that appeal to different generations and different
learning styles. The EL program can also help students learn how to use library resources that
can alleviate research related stress and frustration. As one of the students in this pilot study
noted, “Some of the databases are hard to figure out.” As a result of the EL, students used
Google and the internet less frequently; however, when they chose to use them they did so in a
more knowledgeable, intentional, and efficient manner that yielded more empirical research for
papers. In addition, students were able to learn skills that could assist them with lifelong learning
and evidence-based practice in their professional careers. Students in DE courses also benefited
from improved library services delivered to their virtual classroom, which created a positive
experience for librarians, faculty members, institutions, and the students (Kinnie, 2006).
In order to maximize the benefits of an EL, it is important that the librarian and faculty
member have similar goals for student success, life-long learning, and professional capacity
building. These goals are supported by the best practices for EL (York & Vance, 2009) and
should be discussed when the collaboration begins. Furthermore, attention should be given to
The Role of an Embedded Librarian 15
how and when library instruction is to be presented. Good communication between the librarian
and teaching faculty will enhance student learning, increase student retention and improve the
This pilot study has some limitations. The sample was small and pre and post data were
not matched for individual students. Future research should match pre and post student survey
data anonymously to assess changes in information literacy skills, track embedded library
resources, and correlate use of library resources and services with final term paper grades and
course grades. Future research might also include tracking student use of library and research
In the meantime, this pilot study has revealed some promising results. The study showed
that embedding a librarian in substance abuse courses offers benefits comparable to those seen in
English composition courses across colleges and universities in the U.S. It compliments the
mission of the National Council on Rehabilitation Educations’ Council on Distance Education regarding
evaluating DE methods of instruction in the field of rehabilitation education (M. Kiener, personal
communication, October 12, 2009). This pilot study also supports the Current CORE
Accreditation Standards regarding students’ ability to conduct library research (CORE, 2008).
The EL model clearly has merit in rehabilitation, substance abuse, and clinical counseling
courses. Students’ new found library literacy skills can also be applied beyond the collegiate
References
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Appendix
Pre Survey
1. Have you ever taken a class (either onsite or online) where a librarian was embedded in
the course?
Yes No
Will be useless Will be somewhat useful Will be very useful Unsure of usefulness
Will be useless Will be somewhat useful Will be very useful Unsure of usefulness
4. What do you expect to be the benefits of having a librarian embedded in this course?
5. Please select the resources you’ve used for completing papers and other assignments in
a. Library Catalog
b. Print Journals
c. E-Journals
The Role of an Embedded Librarian 21
d. CINAHL
e. Ovid Medline/PubMed
f. Google
h. Books
i. PsycInfo
j. E-Books
k. Other ________________________________________
6. If you want to learn about library resources and how to find information, etc. which of the
c. Online tutorials
g. Library website
Post Survey
3. How often did you use the Librarian Discussion Board Forum?
Yes No No opinion
6. As a result of having a librarian in this course, please rate how prepared you are to use
7. Please select the resources you used this semester in this course for completing papers
a. Library Catalog
b. Print Journals
c. E-Journals
d. CINAHL
e. Ovid Medline/PubMed
f. Google
h. Books
i. PsycInfo
j. E-Books
The Role of an Embedded Librarian 23
k. Other ________________________________________
8. If you wanted to learn about library resources and how to find information, etc. which of
the following methods would you prefer? Check all that apply.
c. Online tutorials
g. Library website
i. Other _________________________________