Reaching Shared Goals in Higher Education: A Collaboration of the Library and Disability Support Services

Karen F Kaufmann,Marshall Bryant,Dr Geraldine Perez

doi:10.5860/llm.v32i2.7194

Karen F Kaufmann, Marshall Bryant + Show 1 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.5860/llm.v32i2.7194

Copy DOI

Abstract

How do departments in higher education partner and collaborate to support student academic success? Is collaboration a result of only intentional work, or can unintentional conversations, interactions, and dialogue produce significant impact? Disability Support Services (DSS) and the Library uncovered some common goals as a result of ongoing yet informal dialogue and interactions. As common goals and shared vision emerged in conversations and activities, new opportunities for collaborative work between DSS and the Library became evident. This case study may provide new stepping stones and innovative thoughts for your collaborative work possibilities in higher education.

Highlights

Within the college systems, there has been a rise in collaboration between faculty, staff and research areas. Briggs (2007) suggests faculty must collaborate more than in the past to achieve significant academic improvements
Interactions, and dialogue were transformed into ideas, opportunities, and action - three tools used to create collaboration
Innovation breeds innovation, and we suggest that collaboration breeds collaboration and inspires collaborative thinking and collective impact

Summary

Introduction

There has been a rise in collaboration between faculty, staff and research areas. Briggs (2007) suggests faculty must collaborate more than in the past to achieve significant academic improvements. Leaders in the collaboration included: the Director of the Library and the Campus Librarian at Sanford/Lake Mary campus; the Director of DSS and the DSS Adaptive Technology Specialist This team of partners worked to bring substantive collaborative work to achieve the shared goal of supporting student academic work by improving access. The working relationship between The Library and DSS is an example of the definition of collaboration; two equal participants that trust each other and share common thinking for improving the educational experience and accessibility to resources for all students To this end, Love & Edwards (2009) suggest that the steps to partnerships/collaborations are to find a partner and cultivate a relationship - turning a personal relationship into an organizational relationship (p.24). This collaboration became possible due to the unintentional experience that spiraled from initial casual communication into collective planning, idea generation, and participation of other designed activities (King 2010)

Literature Review

Findings

Discussion

Conclusion