CE #3 - Evidence Syntheses Services Essentials: Building the Service*

Instructors:

• Margaret Foster – Director, Center for Systematic Reviews and Research Syntheses, Texas A&M University
• Esmeralda Rodgers – Assistant Librarian, Evidence Review and Synthesis Librarian, Texas A&M University

Class Description:

Evidence synthesis requests are growing fast—and without clear service boundaries, staffing models, and intake workflows, even experienced librarians can end up overwhelmed or under-credited. In this interactive 3‑hour workshop, librarians will learn how to design an evidence synthesis service from the ground up: defining scope, building intake forms and service agreements, assigning team roles, and creating sustainable workflows. Participants will practice real-world scenarios for setting expectations and advocating for appropriate recognition, including co-authorship aligned with established authorship criteria. Designed for solo librarians, and teams alike, you’ll leave with reusable templates, draft language, and a launch checklist you can adapt at your institution.

At the end of the workshop participants will be able to:

• Describe core components of an evidence synthesis service (entry points, scope boundaries, policies, workflow staging, and assessment touchpoints).
• Draft a service scope statement that clearly distinguishes consultation vs. collaboration levels and defines what the service will/won’t provide.
• Create a team role and responsibility model (e.g., coordinator/lead, search specialist, intake/admin coordination).
• Build or adapt an intake form that captures the information needed to triage projects (protocol status, review question, eligibility criteria, timeline, deliverables, prior searching).
• Write service policy that sets expectations for timelines, deliverables, communication norms, and attribution/recognition.
• Use negotiation strategies and documentation practices to advocate for appropriate recognition of librarian intellectual contributions (aligned with professional competency expectations).