The Accidental Middle East Librarians

Authors

Shahrzad Khosrowpour, Chapman UniversityFollow
Essraa Nawar, Chapman UniversityFollow

Document Type

Conference Proceeding

Publication Date

6-20-2019

Abstract

One of the most essential factors in acquiring a subject-focused collection for an academic institution is the close collaboration of the subject liaison librarian and the faculty. Not to mention that when the collection is in a Middle East language, it may have some restriction in access/locating materials desirable for that collection. It also involves challenges such as having the knowledge of the language, locating vendors/publishers, and communicating with them to easily find the materials in Western countries and/or outside resources on time. To create an effective collection that supports the curriculum, librarians may need to provide an individual level of informal collaboration and customized outreach services. Leatherby Libraries at Chapman University is committed to the mission of global education and embraces the call for diversity. It offers diverse programs and collections that entices conversations and creates a language of understanding and dialogue at the University’s Community. In this session, the presenters will share case studies on how the library administration and librarians capitalized on their Middle Eastern connection, ethnicity and international experiences to bring awareness and programming to life and enhance the Middle Eastern collection and connections on campus.

Comments

Presented at MELCom International, the European Association of Middle East Librarians, in June 2019.

Recommended Citation

Khosrowpour, S., & Nawar, E. (2019, June). The accidental Middle East librarians. Presented at MELCom International, Naples, Italy.