An Exploration of Business Librarian Participation in Knowledge Synthesis Reviews

Abstract

Systematic reviews and other forms of knowledge synthesis are increasingly common in the social sciences, including in business and management research. We surveyed academic business librarians to determine the extent of their involvement, in any capacity, in knowledge syntheses. Of 71 eligible responses, 30 percent were involved in supporting knowledge synthesis, while others expressed an awareness of and interest in knowledge synthesis methods and have participated in training opportunities to support these types of projects in the future. While still nascent, knowledge synthesis support by business librarians presents potential as a new service area providing opportunities for deep engagement with faculty research.

Training Needs and Preferences for Librarians Supporting Systematic Reviews in the Sciences, Humanities, and Social Sciences

“…This is consistent with Premji and colleagues' findings that the business librarians participating in their study generally preferred informal learning opportunities, such as self-directed reading and on the job mentoring by other librarians, to formalized training. 27 There is no one-size-fits-all approach to learning so a combination of learning options is desirable, but administrators may consider facilitating opportunities for more peer-to-peer mentoring and shadowing for SHSS librarians to gain knowledge and experience. This approach would be consistent with examples of successful training programs documented in the literature.…”

Librarian Involvement in Knowledge Synthesis at the University of Manitoba

“…Knowledge synthesis (KS) projects continue to grow throughout the COVID-19 pandemic and are expanding beyond health sciences (Premji et al, 2022). KS reviews synthesize the literature to answer a clinical question or map the evidence to create evidence-based reviews to support decision making.…”