A Service to Assist Researchers in Finding Funding

Background: A core value of academic libraries is supporting the clinical and research needs of the members of its institution. Librarians and informationists routinely engage in collaborative efforts across academic units that further the research enterprise. Literature searches, presenting workshops, and supporting grant applications are some of the traditional manifestations of that engagement. Our librarians and informationists collaborated with our Office of Research (OoR) to develop a new service to support the research enterprise.

Description: Our Office of Research (OoR) conducted a survey asking researchers to identify their most pressing issue in moving their research forward. The majority of those responding expressed frustration with identifying funding relevant to their research. Armed with this information, OoR reached out to librarians and informationists to work towards a remedy to this situation. The collaborative effort landed on a service to assist institutional members with finding funding. The service is situated in the Library, and it is accessed via a Research and Funding Guide with a simple Contact Us form. Requests are sent to five members of the Library’s Grants Triage Team, and the team member with the greatest subject knowledge responds to the inquiry. Consultations may draw in other experts from within the Library, or sometimes from the campus.

Conclusion: The Research and Funding Guide has seen a steady increase in activity over its seven years. The Library Grants Triage Team has changed membership over the years, but diverse subject expertise has been a hallmark of the group throughout. The Consultation serve through the Research and Funding Guide has also seen a steady increase in activity over the seven years since the guide was launched and is well received by the research community. Above all, the service is fully integrated into the research enterprise across the institution.