Rowan faculty members can partner with librarians to support their research process– from building literature searches, identifying methodologies, and navigating interdisciplinary resources.
At Campbell Library, the Teaching & Learning Team regularly collaborates with faculty to support scholarly work, particularly in areas which bridge classroom practice and research.
“Anytime a high-level researcher embarks on a project that extends beyond their usual comfort zone, consulting with a librarian is a valuable first step,” said Ash Lierman, Teaching & Learning librarian. “We tend to have a lot more familiarity with the full range of specialized research tools and resources available, many of which faculty may be too busy to keep up with. We make great partners for connecting different disciplines and supporting new forays.”
Teaching & Learning Librarians offer one-on-one consultations, resource curation, and instructional support to help faculty deepen their understanding of educational theory and research design. This work supports scholarship across disciplines and aligns with Rowan University’s commitment to student success and engaged teaching.
“Our Teaching and Learning Team can brainstorm with faculty members on how they can get comfortable with notions of expertise in adjacent fields to their core disciplines,” commented Anu Vedantham, Associate Director for Teaching and Learning at Campbell Library, “There’s always new methodologies and tools to help answer more ambitious research questions.”
A recent example of this collaboration took place in June, during the Faculty Center’s inaugural Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL) Institute—a four-day retreat led by Lisa Abrams, Assistant Professor of Psychology and SoTL Fellow and Jill Perry, Associate Professor and Director of the Faculty Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning. Designed to foster community and inquiry, the SoTL Institute brought together faculty at all stages of their research journey.
Perry emphasized the value of including librarians in faculty development: “Collaborating with the Library for retreats like these supports faculty engaged in the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning by providing valuable one-on-one research consultations, access to curated resources, and guidance that helps strengthen and situate their scholarly work.”
Librarians Ash Lierman and Sam Kennedy presented faculty with information on library databases, open-access tools, and search strategies. They also provided individual consultations to help faculty refine research questions and conduct literature reviews.
“All of these faculty were doing fantastic work to understand how to develop student success in the classroom, and I think we’ll continue to see evidence of the effects for years to come,” said Lierman. “This was a powerful experience for us. It’s wonderful to be a part of a process that’s going to directly support learning for everyone at Rowan, and beyond.”
To learn more about how Campbell Library can support your research, visit: libguides.rowan.edu/faculty