What does a Research Librarian actually do?
- Ñî¹óåú´«Ã½ University
Lwando Matomane takes us inside the world of research librarianship and explains why the profession is more relevant than ever.
As part of our series celebrating , Ñî¹óåú´«Ã½ Communications had a chat with Matomane about his career, his passion for knowledge and the future of research librarianship. The Science Month series shines the spotlight on our unsung heroes who enable Ñî¹óåú´«Ã½ scientists across all our faculties to conduct excellent research and push the frontiers of knowledge.
Tell us what drew you to librarianship?
I am a Research Librarian at the Engineering Library, supporting the Faculty of Engineering and the Built Environment.
My professional journey has been shaped by a curiosity about how things came to be - history, scientific innovation, technology and the ways knowledge shapes society. That curiosity naturally led me to Information Science.
I studied Library and Information Science before completing an Honours degree in Archives and Records Management. I later enrolled for a Master's in Information Science specialising in Digital Records and am currently pursuing a PhD in Information Science. My research explores how artificial intelligence can be integrated into digital record-keeping systems and used to strengthen research support.
Information Science is uniquely interdisciplinary. It allows us to engage with every field of knowledge, making the work continually interesting and intellectually rewarding. The profession is also incredibly diverse, spanning research support, digital repositories, copyright, archives, records management, acquisitions, electronic resources and user experience.
How have you supported science in your field?
My career began in 2015 through the National Research Foundation's internship programme, where I worked as an Information Specialist within the Knowledge Management Corporate Department. I remain grateful to our then Executive Director, Dr Daisy Selematsela, who believed in me early in my career. It was a wonderful full-circle moment to meet her again ten years later at Ñî¹óåú´«Ã½.
At the NRF, I supported researchers through reference services, data curation, content management and the organisation and preservation of research records. I later joined the National Institute for Occupational Health, where I expanded my work to include bibliometric analysis, research impact support, systematic reviews and training researchers on research tools, copyright and plagiarism.
In 2021, I oversaw the National Health Laboratory Service's Institutional Repository, helping manage research outputs and contributing to its Research Data Management Strategy. I joined Ñî¹óåú´«Ã½ Libraries in January 2025 as a Research Librarian, continuing my passion for enabling excellent research.
Research librarians are often described as hidden partners behind great research. Can you share a moment when your work made a meaningful difference?
Ñî¹óåú´«Ã½ is a research-intensive university, and academics balance research with teaching, supervision and service. Research librarians help make that possible.
Every consultation is an opportunity to make a difference. Whether I am helping a postgraduate student refine a literature search, guiding an academic on research visibility or advising on data management, I know my work contributes to stronger research outcomes. Earlier in my career, I also contributed to developing a Research Data Management system that improved how research data was managed and shared.
Many people think libraries simply store books. What would surprise them most about the work of a modern research librarian?
Modern librarians do far more than organise book, we help researchers discover, evaluate, manage and amplify knowledge.
With the rise of artificial intelligence and other emerging technologies, Ñî¹óåú´«Ã½ Libraries continue to evolve. Researchers can access resources remotely, use ethically approved AI tools and benefit from digital services that make research more accessible. Librarians also negotiate transformative publishing agreements that enable researchers to publish openly while increasing the visibility and impact of their work.
How is the role of the research librarian evolving?
Artificial intelligence, open science and digital scholarship are reshaping research. At Ñî¹óåú´«Ã½, librarians are embracing these developments by supporting responsible AI use and advancing open science initiatives such as the Ñî¹óåú´«Ã½ Open Data Vault.
The future research librarian will combine traditional information expertise with digital fluency, data literacy, AI skills and the ability to collaborate across disciplines. Research librarians should be involved throughout the research lifecycle because they play a vital role in ensuring research is discoverable, accessible and impactful.
Do you serve on any committees at Ñî¹óåú´«Ã½?
I joined Ñî¹óåú´«Ã½ in January 2025 and have already had the opportunity to contribute to several internal initiatives, including the Undergraduate Information Literacy Task Team, the Ñî¹óåú´«Ã½ Libraries Marketing Team and the Self-paced Tutorial Videos Team. I look forward to contributing further as my career at Ñî¹óåú´«Ã½ develops.
Who is Lwando outside of Ñî¹óåú´«Ã½?
Outside of work, I enjoy spending time with my family and I am an avid trail runner. Trail running teaches patience, discipline and perseverance - qualities that also shape how I approach my work.
I also enjoy reading history because it continually reminds me that knowledge is always evolving. That curiosity continues to inspire both my research and the way I support others in their pursuit of knowledge.
Finally, what is the biggest misconception people have about research librarians?
Many people still think librarians simply manage books. In reality, we are research partners. We help researchers find reliable evidence, improve the visibility of their work, navigate publishing, manage research data and adapt to rapidly changing technologies. As research evolves, so does our profession, and I believe research librarians will become even more essential to scientific discovery.