Research is not just about discovering new information, but also about communicating findings to a broader community of scientists. Librarians read extensively, but they are never satisfied with merely consuming knowledge. They also write to disseminate their understanding to the scientific community, ensuring that the information reaches end users such as practitioners, policymakers, educators, students, and the general public. Librarians frequently engage in research to ensure the completion of the information lifecycle and the rebirth of new knowledge. Librarians make the world go round.

Research is the lifeblood of the library profession, and librarians are quick adopters of emerging technology. They utilize various information and communication technology (ICT) tools to convey their findings. Librarians are trained to understand that communication involves visual, audio, and multimedia components, and they leverage the advantages of ICT to engage public audiences. Some of the ICT media they use include YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Slack, Quora, Snapchat, podcasts, short videos, Google Blogs, vlogs, Pinterest, blog posts, audiobooks, among others. Additionally, they use tools for creating infographics and multimedia content, such as Canva, ChatGPT, Grammarly, CapCut, Gemini, Mendeley, Zotero, Photoshop, Lightroom, and more. Librarians are quick learners and are keenly aware of the ever-changing landscape of information resources and the insatiable needs of their clientele. As a result, their research findings are disseminated beyond conventional scientific communication channels.

Librarians understand their role in research, particularly the impact of a multidisciplinary approach to global research practices. They never claim to be islands of knowledge, nor do they work in silos. Librarians network and collaborate with experts in other fields of study to strengthen their findings. They collaborate with scientists in fields such as medicine, agriculture, the arts, humanities, animal science, theology, agronomy, pharmacy, veterinary science, criminology, forensics, social sciences, and many others. Research collaboration and global networking are another key ingredient to librarians’ success in research activities.

Librarians never take a break from research because they are facilitators of new trends and technologies. They engage in teaching, training, facilitating, and adopting emerging trends and technologies. An example of this is evident in librarians’ activities during the COVID-19 outbreak, where libraries played a crucial role in educating the public on how to prevent and treat the virus. Librarians also created awareness about research related to the pandemic. Likewise, they are at the forefront of teaching the general public how to use artificial intelligence tools ethically and appropriately in their daily workflows. All these efforts reflect librarians’ relentless commitment to learning, unlearning, relearning, and upskilling to engage in productive, effective, and efficient research that benefits humanity.

Librarians in academic settings are not caught in the “publish or perish” dilemma. The reason for this is clear: while librarians are ranked and promoted within the academic hierarchy, publishing is a routine part of their work and not solely for promotion purposes. Part of the criteria for promotion in academic libraries is based on the number of publications. Librarians engage in regular research activities that lead to academic publications in renowned journals, both locally and internationally. Librarians are passionate researchers, polymaths who use non-conventional media to communicate their research findings. They engage in multidisciplinary research collaboration and global networking. They teach and create awareness about new trends and technologies, and they are routine researchers without the fear of the “publish or perish” syndrome. Therefore, other professionals should take a cue from librarians to enhance their career profiles and pay homage to librarians for their contributions to career development.