Free Web App Trello: Your Key to Institutional Memory in Your Subject Librarian Departments
Abstract
A new subject-liaison assignment carries with it a daunting information-management challenge: Who are the faculty members in this department, and how have they worked with the previous subject librarian? Often librarians step into such a role completely blind to this history, but with an easy-to-use online tool, helpful information such as faculty photos, CVs, syllabi, assignment descriptions, research interests, collection needs, teaching schedules, notes on planning meetings and library-instruction sessions, and more can be given to a librarian along with their new subject assignment. Legwork to gather the information from department websites and personnel is required up front, but Trello, a free online application, serves as a powerful and accessible single location for storing key data in a searchable and highly visual format. And once the “board” for the department has been created and populated, it is a simple matter to attach files and summarize interactions on an ongoing basis.
