Collaborative Learning in Action: Onboarding Liaison Librarians for Evidence Synthesis

Background:Our health sciences library supports a full suite of programs across six health sciences schools and colleges, and a core aspect of our work is supporting research, including evidence synthesis. Our library experienced staffing changes in 2023 with five new liaisons hired in the past two years. This required a new approach to onboarding in support evidence synthesis. Description:When a cohort of liaison librarians were hired in 2023, the library reshaped evidence synthesis onboarding to a cohort model from the previous 1:1 mentoring model. The cohort participated in training activities to build searching skills across multiple databases, learn about the service, and explore evidence synthesis methodologies. The new liaisons selected practice topics, created searches, shared searches, and talked through their processes at bi-monthly meetings. They also participated in group viewings and discussions of MLA webinars, and discussed best practices for communication, collaboration, and project management. Real world experience started with new librarians shadowing experienced librarians during meetings with researchers. When the new liaisons were comfortable, the roles were reversed with the new liaisons leading the meetings and experienced librarians observing. Conclusion:This model fostered strong group cohesion, helping both new and experienced liaisons feel comfortable reaching out to each other for advice on how to approach a problem, feedback on search strategies, and other questions that arise while conducting evidence synthesis. This approach continues to develop and evolve with feedback from the new liaisons and informs the development of library service offerings.