The Columbus Dispatch library employs four librarians to provide research and archival services for the newspaper. The library is unique because many newspapers the size of The Dispatch do not have a large library – as Web resources have become available, news libraries have dwindled.
Dispatch librarians maintain the paper’s physical collection of magazines, newspapers and literary journals, along with a quiet space for reporters to read. They are responsible for archiving the paper daily, maintaining electronic research tools like Nexis, Accruent and Smartlinks, and resources in the collection that are unique to the library:
- Clip files (thousands of news clippings)
- Photo files which range from the late 1940’s-1998
- Microfilm of the paper dating back to 1971
- Electronic archive of the paper dating back to 1985
The library staff view themselves as a customer service organization. They provide data analytics and due diligence. One librarian works in the same space as the reporters to offer embedded research services.
Julie Fulton, director, shared that her job requires a great deal accuracy and integrity, balanced with a sense of urgency around helping reporters build a better story.
Mount Carmel Health Sciences Library is a medical and academic library serving 5 residency programs, medical staff and approximately 1,100 nursing students from the adjacent college.
Mount Carmel’s librarians proactively meet users’ needs. Embeded librarians within medical groups offer immediate and exceptional service. On demand services conveniently deliver materials to users through interoffice mail. And the library has extended library hours, making reference help available 24/7.
Stevo Roksandic is the library’s director. Stevo and his team focus on library users and underserved communities by creating exceptional learning spaces and actively reaching out to the community. One such example is Mount Carmel’s Community Health Resource Center. Through the center and its programming in and outside of their physical location, the library provides important materials and classes on nutrition, breastfeeding, diabetes, cancer and other consumer health topics.
Bricker & Eckler is one of Ohio’s leading law firms located within the Old Post Office on Third Street in downtown Columbus. The firm has additional offices in Cleveland, West Chester and Marietta and employs 140 attorneys. The law library employs three librarians who provide services to all branches and members of the firm. Services include news monitoring, business intelligence to assist with business expansion, research in legal and non-legal matters, tech services for circulation of library materials, due diligence on potential clients, and literacy training for summer and winter associates. Librarians are embedded within practice areas of the firm to provide specialized research.
Bricker & Eckler’s library is unique in size – in many firms, libraries are shrinking as more digital materials are utilized, but the library at Bricker is a central feature of the building. The library is responsible for providing resources for each area of the practice and so the librarians are deft at balancing resources and budgets to provide the best tools possible, as new attorneys and practice areas are added or change.
When we visited, the library was wrapping up Library Week, an annual program which promotes awareness and appreciation of the library to the entire staff. They offer training, host fun events, and provide food to bring attorneys in to check out the awesome tools the library provides. Susan Lowe, Director of Library Services shared that she loves her job. She said that librarians are really “adrenaline junkies” and her job is fast paced and exciting. She gets to be involved in every area of the practice and connects people with knowledge.
