Librarian-in-Residence Program Begins at Notre Dame
In 2000, Roger Jacobs and Jennifer Younger, directors respectively of the Kresge Law Library and the University Libraries (now Hesburgh Libraries), entered into a partnership to establish a Librarian-in-Residence program where each resident (one every two years) would experience an immersive introduction to research librarianship. The purpose of this initiative was to recruit and hire a recent library school graduate who could contribute effectively to the library profession and the University.
In the spring of 2000, a committee of four librarians from the Law Library and the University Libraries were tasked to design the two-year residency program and serve as the search committee to recruit and hire the libraries' first Librarian-in-Residence. Believing that it was important to provide a well-rounded experience, fully integrated with other library faculty, the committee established the position as a visiting assistant librarian with a temporary two-year appointment.
In the original design, each resident spent their first year on rotation among four different areas within the libraries. The first rotation took place in the Research Department of the Law Library, where the resident audited the legal research course taught by law librarians and provided research assistance to law students and faculty. The remainder of the year was spent in the University Libraries, gaining professional experience and having opportunities to work in various areas of an academic research library. The resident's activities during the second year focused on a single area of interest in order to gain a deeper experience.
The residency afforded time for exploration of interests, professional development, and preparation to pursue a career in academic librarianship. All told, eight early-career librarians completed the program. The last Librarian-in-Residence was recruited for the two-year experience in 2018. This experiential learning model evolved into other in-depth, hands-on learning programs, such as hosting postdoctoral and pedagogy fellows.