A conceptual analysis of collaboration in information literacy librarianship

Abstract

Collaboration is a widely used term in academic libraries to describe different types of interaction with campus partners. The library literature presents an extensive history of publications that feature academic library collaboration with discipline faculty in the context of teaching. While the outcomes of teaching librarians' collaborative practices are well documented, the lack of clarity in distinguishing collaboration from other forms of workplace interaction has impeded a comprehensive understanding of teaching librarians' experiences. To improve the understanding of librarians' collaborative practices, and to build a foundation on which further research can be generated, a Pragmatic Utility concept analysis is conducted through an integrative study of peer-reviewed literature. The analysis presents an examination of collaboration between teaching librarians and discipline faculty through five dimensions including definitions, antecedents, attributes, boundaries, and outcomes. An additional dimension, social dynamics, was further identified and applied as a lens for analysis. The conclusion is that collaboration remains a partially immature concept in the library literature, and more studies are needed to establish a clear definition and a solid theoretical framework to guide professional research forward.