Librarians publishing in partnership with other researchers: roles, motivations, benefits, and challenges

Building on previous research on the contribution of librarians to scholarly journals in fields outside library and information science (LIS), this study uses a qualitative approach to gain a richer understanding of the nature of research collaborations between librarians and faculty. It explores librarians’ motivations for becoming involved, the benefits believed to accrue from such partnerships, and the challenges faced. Sixty librarians who had coauthored a research paper with scholars in fields other than LIS replied to a qualitative online survey. Results show that librarians become involved in the whole range of roles throughout the research process, with contributing to the writing of papers (particularly reviewing and editing the final version) being the most common. Coauthorship often results from a long-term working relationship between the librarians and researchers involved. Although librarians are seldom funded as part of the research project, coauthorship may offer benefits—it improves job satisfaction and enhances the reputation of the individual and the library as a whole. Challenges faced relate mainly to time pressures, although the participants acknowledge the need to develop relevant skills. They also must feel confident in the role they fulfill in the research process and the professional skills they can contribute.