Academic librarians have vital research skills but could be more involved in institutional research board (IRB) work. This book provides useful background information and practices, focusing on health and medical domains, including animal research. The editors are academic librarians and active in their field. Twenty-four additional librarians, mainly academic and special librarians focused on medicine, contributed book chapters. The book is organized into three parts: institutional review boards (their roles, their protection of research participants, and librarian aspects over time); librarian roles in institutional animal care and use committees (IACUC); and creating and expanding opportunities for libraries and librarians in institutional research.... The book concludes with IRB and IACUC resources and an index, and overall reflects professional experience and provides practical advice in clear language.

Booklist

An excellent book that combines the rich background information on history, ethics and legislation necessary for librarians to better understand the context of their work with IRBs and IACUCs. At the same time, it offers very practical guidance and hands on advice to be an invaluable help to medical, veterinary, and life sciences librarians in their roles as contributors to research activities at their institutions.

Marina Chilov, MLS, research informationist, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center Library

The title of this book sums it up perfectly. For librarians currently (or nervously considering) serving on their institution's IRB or IACUC, Finding Your Seat at the Table: Roles for Librarians on Institutional Regulatory Boards and Committees edited by Susan M. Harnett and Laureen P. Cantwell, provides a clear overview of the history, regulations, and processes associated with research involving animals or human subjects and offers suggestions for librarians to uniquely support the work of their IRB or IACUC while leveraging their membership to increase their engagement in research at their institution.

Kathleen V. Carter, MLIS, research and education librarian, IRB biomedical panel non-scientist member, The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley

This timely and highly relevant book is a must-read for health science and academic librarians interested in research, or in becoming actively engaged in scholarly pursuits that include research. While it is of special interest to librarians who support researchers in bioinformatics, clinical research, or in general literature reviews aligned with their research, Finding Your Seat at the Table: Roles for Librarians on Institutional Regulatory Board and Committees also introduces the reader to the IRB, the IACUC, and the Belmont Report, a foundational document for responsible research.

For the more seasoned librarian, this book provides a clarion call to become involved and make a difference. This book can be of great benefit to individual health science and academic librarians at the beginning of their careers, or those with more experience who are interested in research. While primarily geared toward health science librarians, I would argue that this book is also recommended for all academic library administrators and academic librarians who are perhaps not familiar with how libraries and librarians can support, connect, and participate in their Institution’s research and review processes.

I highly recommend Finding Your Seat at the Table for starting conversations on how librarians employed at academic or medical institutions can engagekey stakeholders and become more involved in supporting research efforts at their institution. This book will help jump start important conversations - not the least of which is the importance of a deep dive literature review and librarians’ roles across the institution. This book will also encourage libraries and librarians to think about how they can identify and find their place at that table.


Read Finding Your Seat at the Table: Roles for Librarians on Institutional Regulatory Board and Committees; use itsideas to have those conversations; and get involved. By becoming more integrated into teaching and mentoring novice researchers, or supporting colleagues by collaborating on complex literature searches, or by managing the data warehouse or institutional repository, librarians can strengthen professional relationships across disciplines and facilitate important conversations. Furthermore, by becoming co-investigators, collaborators, and facilitators in the research process, librarians will raise their standing in the scholarly community. When serving on the oversight boards themselves, librarians can expand their opportunity to serve their institution in highly meaningful ways.

Doris VanKampen-Breit, university librarian at St. Leo University

This book is geared toward health science librarians, particularly those working in major research or academic institutions. It addresses the fact that librarians, though well versed in research practices and policies, are seldom invited to participate in two major research committees: the Institutional Review Board (IRB) and the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC). As librarians expand their traditional information-specialists roles into more far-reaching participation in institutional research, it is important that they have knowledge about both primary committees, and this book can be a training manual for both. The volume is dense with information but well written and logically organized, and it flows nicely from topic to topic. A valuable tool for librarians interested in or involved with research practice and for library administrators as well. Highly recommended. Graduate students, researchers, faculty, and professionals.

Choice Reviews

Finding Your Seat at the Table: Roles for Librarians on Regulatory Boards and Committeesis highly recommended for research libraries seeking new pathways for growing and optimizing library research support services. Providing a wealth of beginner and expert-level information on IRB and IACUC oversight and the novel ways that librarians can become involved, this book is an excellent resource for both early career and well-established librarians. Finding Your Seat at the Tablecan be used to guide conversations and build library collaborations at institutions with or without prior history of library involvement in institutional regulatory boards as it serves as a reference text on institutional regulatory boards and as a practitioner guide for librarians facilitating enhanced library involvement.

Medical Reference Services Quarterly