Publication Date
8-1-2023
Abstract
This case study details the author’s experiences selecting books for a subject he knew nothing about. Most librarians are asked at some point in their career to take on responsibilities that they do not feel prepared for, so the author hopes this article will help readers adapt to those unfamiliar duties. The author discusses the challenges he faced within Kennesaw State University’s team-based liaison model, his attempts to do evidence-based selecting, and the lessons he learned along the way. In the end, librarians tasked with selecting on unfamiliar topics may benefit simply from doing their best, relying on the available tools and experts, learning as much as they can, and trying to improve on the job. The author encourages all librarians to cut themselves some slack and give themselves the benefit of the doubt when faced with challenges they are not prepared for.