I will be moderating an on-demand panel discussion, Conducting and supporting research synthesis: Librarian roles, competencies, and collaborations, at the 2021 ALA Annual Conference. Speakers include Whitney Townsend (University of Michigan), Zahra Premji (University of Calgary), Marcus Spann (Louisiana State University), Amy Riegelman (University of Minnesota), Claire Wiley (Belmont University), and Meggan Houlihan (Colorado State University). The session description is below:

Are you interested in learning about research synthesis methods and how they can be used to explore a particular library & information science (LIS) topic or question? Have you been asked to support research synthesis in your disciplinary area? In this session, you will learn about research synthesis methods such as systematic reviews and meta-analysis, and how they can be used to collaborate with researchers and enhance your own LIS research. In lightning-style presentations followed by a Q&A, speakers will address systematic review competencies for librarians, opportunities for skill development, and practical considerations for supporting research synthesis projects. The session will highlight the value of librarian support for systematic reviews and meta-analyses in the health sciences and other disciplines, and the ways that librarian contributions can and should be acknowledged. In addition, speakers will discuss the use of systematic and scoping reviews in LIS studies on the open access citation advantage and business information literacy. This session seeks to make research synthesis more accessible for practitioners with varying degrees of experience.