Always betting on the success of our students, the Fresno State Library strives to offer resources and services to support students in taking on any intellectual aspirations. We’re here to help and eager to put more of these services on your radar! Let us introduce you to our skillful Subject Librarians.
For students who have yet to contact their subject librarian or are unfamiliar with the service, Librarian Sarah McDaniel provides a closer look into what it is to work with a subject librarian.
What do students come to you for help with?
Sarah: Typically, students come to me when they need help making progress on a major project. Sometimes these are students who met me when their professor invited me to speak with the whole class about a research project. And sometimes students seek me out when they are beginning a project and want to get a handle on the research they need to conduct.
What can these sessions look like?
Sarah: Some students are learning about academic library research for the first time, and others request help with creative, advanced research projects. Working with a subject librarian helps students research more efficiently, and helps them discover the best sources for their research projects.
I met with a Communication class that was assigned to debate key issues around freedom of speech. I met with the class to discuss the specialized resources they needed such as supreme court cases, law reviews, and journal articles. Some student groups made appointments to meet with me in my office in the library to make progress on their research. I also created a specialized Research Guide for the class to refer to.
I met with a student who was beginning his research for his Honors Thesis in Arts and Humanities. I assisted the student in identifying additional faculty mentors for his project, locating books and journal articles, and identifying search strategies for his cross-disciplinary thesis.
I spent a few hours emailing with a graduate student group that was developing a research proposal for a Digital Humanities project on key figures in the Bloomsbury group, a close-knit group of visual artists and literary figures. I assisted them in locating primary sources in digital collections in the United Kingdom, and explained how to use specialized research tools such as bibliographies and finding aids to locate additional materials.
Final thoughts from our featured subject librarian
Sarah: I’m always excited to hear how these projects turn out! Faculty and students invite me to symposia, debates and presentations, and this helps me provide the right research guidance for every situation. As subject librarian, I provide specialized research consultations, library sessions, and consult with faculty about assignments and projects in my subject areas. I also develop research guides, work to improve collections for my assigned subject areas, and stay in dialogue with departments about their needs. In addition to a library degree, I have an MA in the humanities, and my experience working in the humanities helps me provide efficient, relevant advice and services. I’m always learning!
Sarah is a subject librarian for the College of Arts & Humanities, specializing in Communication, English, Modern and Classical Languages and Literatures, Philosophy, Linguistics, and Jewish Studies. The Fresno State Library has subject librarians specializing across various colleges and majors, eager to help students and faculty. Find the subject librarian specific to your college and area of study and schedule an appointment!
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