Vendorbrarians: Librarians Who Work for Vendors and the Value They Provide to Library Customers

A panel of librarians working for different kinds of library vendors discussed their unique and valuable roles inside their organizations. The session was moderated by an Electronic Resources Librarian with an interest in library/vendor relationships. Librarians can add value to their company’s relationships with library customers as they share the same basic skill set as their colleagues in libraries and have a better understanding of their needs, industry standards, and the day to day realities of their customers. Topics discussed included the kinds of roles librarians can have at vendors, how these positions compare and contrast with more traditional library work, their identities in the library profession, how library school did and did not prepare them for their jobs, and more.