Library Partnership Research Articles

Increased Community Outcomes or Better Outcomes from Library Partnership: Through an Equity Lens

ABSTRACT Library programs and services serve communities, and they aim to increase information literacy, knowledge, increase access and decrease barriers. These benefits can be enhanced through partnerships between libraries and outside organizations. To explore what types of partnerships exist among libraries and discover more about resulting community benefits, a literature search was conducted looking for examples of shared experiences of different libraries. The literature search was completed utilizing a health focused database, an educational focused database and a library focused database: PubMed, Educational Institution of Educational Sciences (ERIC) and Library & Information Science s (LISA). A combination of keywords and controlled vocabulary were utilized that best described the topic of library partnerships and collaboration which support health initiatives. The articles retrieved highlighted three thematic concepts of community benefits from library collaborations such as increased engagement and satisfaction with programs, increased learning for library staff and increased access to resources for community members. Partnerships between individual libraries as well as partnerships between libraries and outside organizations have the potential to provide positive, equitable and tangible benefits for both libraries and the communities they serve. More research and investigation in the area of library partnerships and community benefits is recommended to help continue the progress and success that has already been established.

НОРМАТИВНО-ПРАВОВЕ ЗАБЕЗПЕЧЕННЯ ПОСТУПАЛЬНОГО РОЗВИТКУ БІБЛІОТЕК В УМОВАХ ПАРТНЕРСЬКОЇ СПІВПРАЦІ

The article examines specific provisions of regulatory legal documents governing partnership cooperation, including cooperation between libraries and state bodies, public organizations, benefactors, and patrons. Attention is drawn to the activities of domestic libraries during wartime, priority directions of their work are identified, particularly those directed towards volunteers, charitable organizations, and residents of local communities. The social, political, and economic changes that have occurred in Ukraine in recent years have led to changes in the activities and interaction of state bodies, state and public organizations, institutions, and individuals. Partnership between various entities involved in these processes, including libraries, is gradually acquiring new features. An important component of the activities of domestic libraries becomes social partnership, which defines cooperation between libraries and various societal actors, including governmental bodies, educational institutions, non-governmental organizations, benefactors, and philanthropists, etc. It is noticeable that recently the majority of Ukrainian libraries are more often establishing cooperation with volunteer movements, not only with public organizations of cultural, educational, or social orientation. A significant amount of work by library staff is directed towards interaction with local communities, which have increased over the past two years due to internally displaced persons. The positive results of successful work by library institutions on social partnership issues are shaped by an up-to-date and high-quality regulatory framework. The legislative framework for library activities is defined by the Laws of Ukraine, Resolutions of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine, orders of the Ministry of Culture and Information Policy of Ukraine, directives of Departments or Offices of Culture, Youth and Sports of regional state or military-civil administrations, as well as local regulatory documents of districts and communities. Libraries are gradually transforming into centers for engaging the public in participation in innovative projects, becoming hubs for the development of community members' personal creativity, collaboration with various social institutions. They are modernizing the forms and methods of library work into more creative, intellectual ones, which attract the attention of schoolchildren, youth, and adults. Today, library institutions, operating within the framework of current legislation, seek and utilize various forms and methods of cooperation to improve their financial status, popularize their work, and provide access to information technologies. Key words: social partnership, library partnership, regulatory documents, legislative acts, volunteering, cooperation, social institution, library, non-governmental organizations, charitable organizations, patronage, legal support

Same Book, New Tricks: How an Academic-Public Library Partnership Revitalized a Rural Library

Same Book, New Tricks: How an Academic-Public Library Partnership Revitalized a Rural Library

Update: Library Partnership (LP) Rating

Update: Library Partnership (LP) Rating

Public libraries as a partner in digital innovation project: Designing a virtual reality experience to support digital literacy

We introduce a project titled as Our Shared Virtual World which aims at increasing public libraries’ capability to provide knowledge on digital technology to general public. The practical goal of the project has been to produce a functional prototype of a virtual reality (VR) application that could be utilized freely in all the public libraries in Finland. In many countries worldwide, libraries’ role is expanding from providers of traditional books to providers of information technologies and related new forms of literacy, and this development provides the broader backdrop for the project. The contribution of the article is two-fold: First, we describe how an immersive VR application can be collaboratively developed within this specific research context, namely within a network of public libraries, and introduce the tangible outcome of the project, the VR application called Forest Elf. Secondly, we scrutinize how results of such a design work can be sustained over time: through participatory design (PD), we aimed at creating conditions which would enable public libraries to continue developing and using the artefact also after the project. We provide insights on how to tackle the challenge of research prototypes ending up being abandoned, and what factors in the context of library partnership support or hamper sustainable digital innovation — digital innovation that is inclusive and equitable but also has a long-lasting impact.

Redefining Library as Culture House: The Missoula Public Library Partnership

Abstract By combining several community organizations under one roof, the new Missoula Public Library provides a free equitable cultural hub for a region suffering from a dearth of cultural offerings. Located in the heart of a walkable downtown, the library was designed through a community-oriented process with participation throughout the design. Carefully integrated throughout the building, the partner spaces share commonalities of design language to simultaneously provide a cohesive aesthetic and ensure that the identity of each partner shines through.

Государственная регламентация деятельности публичных библиотек в России в первой половине XIX в.

The article reveals the content of state regulation of the activities of public libraries in Russia in the first half of the 19th century. It is shown that the government showed interest in involving the public in the development of the cultural life of urban centers, and therefore created relatively comfortable legal conditions and an organizational environment for the work of public libraries. In the 1830, the authorities tried, using bureaucratic methods, to introduce a public initiative to create public libraries in provincial cities. In response to the proposal of the head of the Free Economic Society P. S. Mordvinova, the Minister of Internal Affairs attracted the heads of regions — governors — to create a kind of library partnership. Local authorities, for their part, had to guarantee legal status to provincial libraries, provide them with organizational assistance, and representatives of the public, for their part, had to accept funding and carry out ongoing library work. The government established a licensing procedure for opening public libraries, which received legal status and the ability to independently stock book depositories. In an effort to prevent public libraries from becoming centers of anti-government propaganda, the authorities exercised administrative and police supervision over them. The results of the implementation of the ministerial project turned out to be modest: instead of the planned fifty-two, only twenty-nine public libraries were opened, most of which ceased to exist within 10–15 years. However, the general principles of state regulation of the activities of provincial libraries were extended to all other public libraries in Russia. In the middle of the 19th century, a library boom began in the country, which was caused by numerous public initiatives from below.

Jaringan Kerjasama Perpustakaan Perguruan Tinggi

Collaboration between libraries is carried out to provide the best customer-focused library services. This library partnership aims to increase activity levels across multiple sources while improving user and technical services. Creating a cooperative strategy involves using policy strategies, HR, correlation, resource sharing, and information technology. The implementation of this work was constrained and supported by several circumstances. This is made possible by various elements, including user demands, technological advances, and extended use. Cooperation is hampered by geographical distance, spatial constraints, and time.
 Keywords: Cooperation; Library; College

Jaringan Kerjasama Perpustakaan Perguruan Tinggi

Collaboration between libraries is carried out to provide the best customer-focused library services. This library partnership aims to increase activity levels across multiple sources while improving user and technical services. Creating a cooperative strategy involves using policy strategies, HR, correlation, resource sharing, and information technology. The implementation of this work was constrained and supported by several circumstances. This is made possible by various elements, including user demands, technological advances, and extended use. Cooperation is hampered by geographical distance, spatial constraints, and time.
 Keywords: Cooperation; Library; College

A perspective on collaborative partnerships to expand campus buy-in for digital collections

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to explore, from the perspective of a medium-sized academic library, how libraries can pursue and use collaboration with other units on campus to increase support and buy-in for digital collections.Design/methodology/approachThis paper is approached from the perspective of a medium-sized academic library located in Alabama, USA. This study examines ways to foster collaboration with diverse campus units, the challenges that can be encountered and ways to overcome these barriers to collaboration. Examples of the potential and realized benefits are also enumerated.FindingsThis paper demonstrates that, while there are challenges that must be overcome, regular and sustained collaboration with nonlibrary campus units can result in the creation of unique digital collections that such units are not capable of pursuing without library partnership. These partnerships increase visibility for the library and its services, as well as buy-in and support for digital collections from other campus units and, importantly, university administration.Practical implicationsAcademic libraries, especially those at small- to medium-sized institutions, face continual budget restrictions and calls to justify the resources expended. This impacts all aspects of library services, but especially the creation of digital collections, which are cost- and labor-intensive. By offering examples of collaboration, libraries can explore ways to partner that will foster buy-in and support at their own institutions.Originality/valueThis paper provides examples and details considerations that can make the process of collaboration simpler and more effective for other academic libraries to pursue.

Fostering a Tech Culture through Campus Collaborations: A Case Study of a Hackathon and Library Partnership

ABSTRACT Hackathons are time-bound, competitive coding contests that are often judged for prizes. Their name originates from joining hacking, playful exploration of hardware and software issues, with marathons, endurance competitions. The intent is to challenge participants to build working prototypes of hardware or software in a short time period, anywhere from one day to several weeks, though typically between 24–28 hours. While they are a mainstay in computer science fields, they are becoming increasingly popular in other domains, including libraries. Libraries have long championed life-long learning, a democratization of data, and access to information. These are similar mentalities of the maker movement, echoed in hackathons. Rapid iteration, problem solving, and cooperative learning are regularly present at events and within library systems. This paper details a case study of one institution’s growth from a hackathon event host to deeper library engagement and partnership with an informal learning program. The authors will highlight benefits that both partners observed and will end with a pitch for why other libraries should consider hosting similar events. Finally, several recommended resources for libraries who are contemplating hosting hackathon events will be presented.

PARTNERSHIP AS AN EFFECTIVE FORM OF CONSOLIDATION AND INTEGRATION OF INFORMATION RESOURCES OF LIBRARIES OF UKRAINE

Objective. The report is aimed to represent library partnership as an important component of diversification interaction of domestic scientific libraries and a universal form of consolidation of digital resources of documentary heritage. Methods. The methodology of the article is based on the general scientific principles of systematization, complexity, comprehensiveness of knowledge. Results. The content of publications of Ukrainian scientists in recent years on the importance of library projects for the development of domestic librarianship is highlighted. The use of the term "library partnership" in library science is substantiated. The most successful projects of scientific libraries of Ukraine as modern multifunctional institutions are presented. Conclusions. Positive consequence of active interaction of libraries through partnership is the implementation of effective communication, overcoming industry and departmental separation, targeted activities on customer focus, expanding the range of new services, a qualitatively new level of information library space. Prospects for further development of the domestic scientific, educational and cultural space through the library partnership are outlined.

O jornal estudantil do período de 1964-2013 como fonte de pesquisa em formato digital no acervo do Centro de Memória e Arquivo da FCM-Unicamp.

Este artigo é o estudo completo da apresentação realizada no 2º Congresso de História da Ciência e da Técnica: Desafios Contemporâneos. Os arquivos históricos apresentam um papel fundamental no desenvolvimento e surgimento das pesquisas históricas. A utilização de ferramentas tecnológicas e o trabalho de resgate de acervos de documentação primária são exemplos de desafios contemporâneos das pesquisas. O objetivo deste trabalho é apresentar e descrever a inserção do conjunto documental O Patológico na coleção do Centro de Memória e Arquivo da FCM-Unicamp, em parceria com o Arquivo Central da Unicamp e Biblioteca da Faculdade. Desta parceria, resultou a digitalização de todo o conjunto em PDF/A pesquisável, em formato de preservação digital – este padrão promove agilidade de acesso ao documento para o usuário.

MARC Metamorphosis: Transforming the Way You Look at E-Book Records

ABSTRACTThe world of e-book records can be quite divergent, depending on the source of those records. Record content and quality can vary greatly. An engaging session about Metadata 2020 at the 2017 NASIG Annual Conference led the authors to wonder: is there a way to assess how libraries, publishers, and vendors are currently operating in this space for e-book records? This article will provide comparative data from two libraries and include a publisher’s workflows and perspective on the subject. This library and publisher partnership highlights these differences and posits suggestions for collaboration and improvement.

Better together: Assessing a leisure reading collection for an academic and public library partnership

UBC's Okanagan Library developed a leisure reading collection in 2006 to promote and encourage reading for pleasure on campus, an initiative now seen to be taking place in many post-secondary institutions. Over 12 years almost 800 titles were added to the collection. While this collection was used consistently by students, staff, and faculty, a new initiative prompted a re-evaluation of its purpose and future. In 2017, a partnership was developed with the Okanagan Regional Library to convert one of the Library's meeting rooms into a mini-location for the public library. This space would intentionally maintain a small collection of leisure reading titles, while also allowing public library patrons to pick up holds and return their books. As a result, the leisure reading collection needed to be reviewed for duplication with the new initiative and the applicability of keeping some content for research and teaching. This column will explore how the core weeding criteria were drafted for this collection, how they were used to make final decisions on retention for each item (even when they did not meet the formal criteria), and how the Library is moving forward with the new collaborative leisure reading initiative in an academic space.

Behind the scenes of the British Library Qatar National Library Partnership: Digital operations and workflow management

The British Library and Qatar National Library have been working in partnership since 2012 to make an extraordinary tranche of material available for everyone to access for free via the Qatar Digital Library. This article delves behind the scenes of the partnership, highlighting some of the operational and workflow lessons learnt when running this major digitisation programme. We look in detail at workflow management and coordination, how to use management information to find efficiencies, as well as providing a supportive team atmosphere for creative use of the collections via ‘Hack Days’.

They Found It--Now Do They Bother? An Analysis of First-Year Synthesis

This paper presents assessment data from a first-year writing library partnership to examine the relationship between student source use and written synthesis. It finds that first-year students could locate peer-reviewed, scholarly sources but that these sources were poorly integrated in their arguments—if they were used at all. In contrast, it finds that students attempted to synthesize their in-class reading material, suggesting that students “tack on” outside sources. Ultimately, this paper argues that librarians may want to consider shifting their instructional focus from traditional one-shot sessions to other solutions recommended by the literature.

Notes on Operations: GMD or No GMD: RDA Implementation for a Consortial Catalog

This paper explores the benefits of establishing item-specific terms for General Material Designations (GMDs) for library consortia implementing Resource Description and Access (RDA). While RDA includes a new approach towards the description and categorization of an item’s physical medium through the assignment of content, media, and carrier types (CMCs), thus replacing the GMD, libraries may still benefit from GMD retention in their online catalogs to help support user tasks and help contextualize CMC information. This paper presents the challenges that Mississippi State University Libraries experienced in leading RDA enrichment for the Mississippi Library Partnership (MLP) consortium. Additionally, it discusses parameters for libraries to consider when working with a vendor for RDA enrichment in a consortial environment.

Evolution of an academic-public library partnership.

A partnership to improve access to health information via an urban public library system was established in St. Louis, Missouri, in 2011. A multiyear project was outlined that included an information needs assessment, a training class for public library staff, information kiosks at library branches for delivering printed consumer health materials, and a series of health-related programming. The partnership evolved to include social service and community organizations to carry out project goals and establish a sustainable program that met the health and wellness interests of the community.

From Toronto to East Africa: a medical library partnership

In 2008, I had the opportunity to go to Ethiopia (Fig. 1) to assess current medical library resources and services provided at the Black Lion Hospital, which is the major teaching hospital for Addis Ababa University (AAU), Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. I attended the Addis Ababa International Educational Symposium, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, where the Ethiopian Ministry of Education put forth the desired and ambitious goal of increasing Ph.D. graduates in all disciplines by 5000 and Masters graduates by 10 000 within the next 10 years (medical subspecialists are included with Ph.D.s under this requirement). Universities worldwide with an interest in educational partnerships were invited to this symposium in order to help AAU meet its goal of dramatically increasing its number of academics. My invitation came from Dr. Clare Pain from the University of Toronto’s Wilson Centre, Toronto. Dr. Pain is the Toronto-based lead and Dr. Atalay Alem is the Ethiopian-based lead for the Toronto Addis Ababa Psychiatry Partnership (TAAPP, www.utoronto.ca/ethiopia) (Fig. 2). For the last 7 years TAAPP has provided training at AAU for psychiatry residents, in the first, and currently the only, psychiatry training program in the country. The partnership between AAU and Emmanuel Psychiatry Hospital, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia (www.utoronto.ca/ethiopia), has included generous assistance from Mount Sinai Hospital’s Psychiatry Department, Toronto; The Peter A. Silverman Centre for International Health, Mount Sinai Hospital; and the University of Toronto’s Wilson Centre and Department of Psychiatry. TAAPP has laid the ground work and created the founding principles for the partnership developed for the advancement of medical library services. In 2003, Ethiopia had 11 foreign-trained psychiatrists out of a total of 1800 physicians in a country with a population greater than 77 million. This translates roughly into a ratio of 1 physician per 42 000 patients. In comparison, according to Statistics Canada 2009, Canada has approximately 60 000 physicians for a population of approximately 32 million. Canada’s physician to patient ratio is approximately 1 physician per 533 patients. Today there are 39 practicing psychiatrists in Ethiopia and a thriving psychiatric residency program with approximately six new residents graduating every year. The previously mentioned success of TAAPP has now transformed and expanded into over a dozen programs including library science, internal medicine, paediatrics rehabilitation medicine, nursing, emergency medicine, etc. This new group of disciplines is organized under a collaboration called the Toronto Addis Ababa Academic Collaboration (TAAAC, www.taaac.ca). To increase Ph.D. graduates and subspecialists in medicine, it is a priority to further develop medical library services throughout Ethiopia. My attendance at the 2008 Addis Ababa International Educational Symposium was an opportunity to assess current Ethiopian medical library services. This initial assessment has led to a multi-year library-to-library partnership between the University of Toronto’s fully affiliated teaching hospital, Mount Sinai, and the AAU’s Central Medical Library at the Black Lion Hospital. The partnership agreement developed at this symposium between the Chief Medical Librarian and myself is posted at www.TAAAC.ca under the Programs tab, under Library Services. Our partnership addresses three goals to further develop medical library services and training in Ethiopia: