Engaged Scholarship and Embedded Librarianship

The authors, a sociology professor and a librarian, draw attention to the relatively limited contribution of librarians to the field of engaged scholarship (ES), which they demonstrate through a review of relevant literature. They contend that the limited contribution of librarians is not the outcome of librarians being consciously excluded from ES projects by faculty. It is their point of view that ongoing exclusion of librarians reflects a lack of awareness among faculty regarding a recent shift in library science referred to as embedded librarianship (EL). Using examples from the EL literature primarily about undergraduate research experiences, the authors identify a viable role for librarians in ES, particularly in instances where enhancing the “information literacy” of students, research assistants, or community members is a learning or research priority. This reflective essay provides readers an opportunity to reflect on how—when and where appropriate—librarians might contribute to ES.