Personal Librarians at Belk Library   Tags: elon_101, personal_librarian  

"I appreciate my personal librarian's help greatly. It made a big difference in two of my papers!"

"I think it is a great idea...Definitely will tell freshman not to be afraid because they do want to help you."

"I really liked having it, especially for those first couple of months. Brand new school... you don't really know what teachers are expecting and the task of writing research papers can be kind of daunting. I loved having my personal librarian to help me out and give me the skills I needed to go forth in the future independently. "

"I love the idea of having a personal librarian. She really helped me with my 20 page paper when I had no idea where to start with sources."

"I like this program and think it is a good asset for our school to have. Even though I did not use them, I think it is helpful to have, in case I ever need help."

"It is very helpful and I wish I took advantage of it earlier and am happy to know how much it helps and will be sure to come back next year!"

The Personal Librarian (PL) program at Belk Library matches incoming first year Elon students with their own Personal Librarian. Your personal librarian serves as your point of contact for Belk Library. How much or how little you choose to make use of your PL is up to you – your PL is here to help you.

All PLs are dedicated to helping undergraduates be successful researchers. While we hold different positions in Belk Library, all of us work frequently with Elon students and faculty. Think of your PL as your library advisor – someone who will help you build the skills to successfully navigate your academic path during your years at Elon.

Your PL can introduce you to Belk Library, help you find your way around the library, assist you with your research, answer your library-related questions, and more. She or he will email you periodically (but not too much!) to make sure you know what’s new at Belk and to help you better take advantage of the library’s resources. The PL is your initial point of contact that can either answer your question or direct you to the person who can best help you.

Your PL will:

• Answer your questions (big or small) about the library

• How do I know if Belk Library has a book or DVD that I need?
• How can I find articles for a research paper?
• How do I get an article or book that the library doesn’t have?
• How do I find books/articles/DVDs that are on reserve for my class?
• Who can I talk to about my library account?
• How can I find a job in the library?

• Assist with your research by helping you identify the best sources, develop search strategies, and understand citations
• Keep you informed with periodic emails about new and exciting resources/programs or reminders about changes in library hours
• Support you when you’re away from campus – just email or IM us
• Help you when you don’t know how to start an academic project – if we don’t know the answer, we’ll find someone who does

We'd love to help you with everything, but we can suggest better resources for