One of the most effective ways to make real change with an individual is to become part of their life. At a medium-sized institution ZSR Library is able to do this through embedded instruction with courses. This takes place in specific classes: the special collections librarian works closely with a history of the book class throughout the semester, for example. But it also takes place in grander ways such as sending librarians on a bus trip through the Deep South as part of a service learning course that explored race, class and gender issues in that region. In two iterations of this course (2007 and 2009), librarians accompanied two sociology professors to teach research as well as support the educational technology components of the course. This role allowed the librarians to be intimately involved with the education process and help students gain a stronger commitment to service and ethical leadership. This was such an innovative program that Susan Sharpless Smith, Director of Research, Instruction, and Technology Services, was awarded the 2008 ACRL/IS Innovation Award for her work with the project, allowing ZSR Library to share its approach to embedded librarianship with a large academic audience.
