Why every scientist needs a librarian

Nature

by Amber Dance

February 23, 2026

AI-Generated Deep Dive Summary

Librarians are often overlooked but essential partners in scientific research, offering expertise that can significantly enhance a scientist's workflow. From managing data and ensuring open access compliance to conducting literature reviews and taming information overload, librarians provide specialized knowledge and tools that streamline research processes. They act as dynamic research centers, offering coding classes, maker spaces, and support for citizen-science projects. By leveraging their skills in database search techniques, such as using Medical Subject Headings (MeSH) terms or identifying alternative databases, librarians help researchers find relevant literature more efficiently than solo online searches. The role of a librarian extends beyond traditional book management to include embedded team collaboration, where they assist with organizing citation databases and supervising library students on research projects. For example, Colleen Pawliuk, a research librarian at the British Columbia Children’s Hospital Research Institute, supports systematic reviews, nominates papers for journal clubs, and manages large citation databases like Zotero. This level of support allows scientists to focus more on their research while ensuring compliance with evolving open-access requirements. Moreover, libraries have evolved into hubs for innovation, offering tools and spaces that foster creativity and collaboration. For instance

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Originally published on Nature on 2/23/2026