Personal librarians are Library staff who work one-on-one with first-year students to provide information and support on Library services.
The Personal Librarian Program provides each first-year student with a member of the Library professional staff as a contact. During the academic year, the personal librarian will send out five to seven messages via email to explain general Library resources, spaces, and timely announcements about Library hours, events, etc.
If you are a first-year student, we encourage you to email, text, or visit with your personal librarian whenever you have a question about anything Brown or library-related — from the simplest questions about where to study to “how do I get started on finding sources for my semester project” or “how do I find and borrow a book (or an ebook!).” While the personal librarian may not always know the answer, s/he will be able to connect you with someone who does.
Remember, your Library is not just a collection of more than three million books and journals, it is also a range of services, from instruction in geospatial data visualization to support for science data management and digital humanities projects. Your Personal Librarian is here to help guide you through this ever-changing and complex world of research information. We can also recommend a good restaurant if your parents are in town!