What is the Personal Librarian Program?
The Personal Librarian (PL) Program is designed to introduce students entering Yale College to the collections and services of the Yale University Library. As a Yale freshman you will be matched with a Librarian when you matriculate, a relationship that will continue through your freshman and sophomore years, or until you declare a major, whichever comes first. At that point, your PL will introduce you to your subject specialist, a librarian with an advanced degree in your discipline, who will help you with the research you do for your major.
Your PL serves as a single point of contact for the Library – a resource person for all of your research needs. He or she will contact you occasionally throughout the year to let you know about new databases and tools, upcoming tours of collections, or research methods strategies. You are also encouraged to contact your PL with any questions you have about your research or the Library. How often you choose to avail yourself of your PL is entirely up to you.
How can my Personal Librarian help me?
Your PL will:- Keep you informed with periodic e-mail messages highlighting new resources and programs specifically for students, as well as with notices and timely reminders, such as extended Library hours during Reading Week and finals
- Answer your questions about Library policies, procedures and services, such as RefWorks workshops and Borrow Direct
- Assist with finding information for your research assignments, by helping you articulate your research question, identify the best sources, and formulate your search strategies
- Support you even when you’re not around (on vacation or away from Yale doing research)
- Help you when you don’t know where to start, or you can’t think of what to do next
Things we don’t do (but we’ll help you find out who can)
Your PL won’t:- Set up your computer (i.e. NetIDs, VPN)
- Do your research, make photocopies or write your paper for you