Building and Sustaining Multicultural Partnerships

1. Spanish Language Outreach ProgramEmpowering Library Staff to Meet the Technology Needs of Spanish Speakers in Their Communities Building and Sustaining Multicultural Partnerships

2. WELCOME¡BIENVENIDOS!

3. Introductions • Your name • Name of library and number of years with library • Briefly describe your activities in reaching out and increasing access to technology for the Spanish-speaking

4. Agenda June 24, 2006 8:30 a.m. Coffee and registration 9:00 a.m. Introductions/Warm-up /Logistics Learning Outcomes, Agenda Review Partnership successes and challenges Characteristics of good partnerships Levels of participation Strategies for building and sustaining partnerships 12:00 p.m. Adjourn

5. Trainer Learning Outcomes • Trainers will: • Increase their awareness of the Spanish Language Outreach Project successes and challenges in establishing partnerships. • Increase their understanding of the characteristics of good partnerships. • Expand their knowledge of cultural differences and their impact on partnerships and working teams. • Learn techniques for developing trust with multicultural partners.

6. Exercise 1: Benefits and Challenges of Local Partnerships • Think about one of the partnerships you established to reach out to Spanish speakers and respond to questions below. • Who is your partner? • Why did you choose this partner? • How did you identify/establish contact with this partner? • What are the goals/objectives of the partnership? • What has been accomplished? What are the results of the partnership? • What are the positive aspects of this partnership • What are the challenges of this partnership? • How/what would you change in the future? • Share your responses and experiences with your small group. Identify the similarities and differences in your experiences.

7. Evaluation of Community Partnerships • Sara Laughlin, project evaluator, conducted 12 phone interviews with 14 individuals identified as partners by librarians who participated in workshops during late 2004 or early 2005. • Interviews were conducted between January 5 and January 19,2006. • Partners interviewed were from Colorado, Florida, Illinois and New Mexico.

8. What Our Partners Said • Best aspects of the partnerships: • Proactive contact by the library • Library’s willingness to help • Cross-marketing opportunities • Library’s amazing resources • Library programs especially for families and children

9. What Our Partners Said • Results of the partnership: • Informal partnerships—”kind of understood that we are working together.” • Increased association • Planning and brainstorming together • Increase in library seeking information about the community

10. What Our Partners Said • Changes within partner organizations as a result of partnership with the library: • More communication with the general public through library newsletters, bulletin boards, etc. • Increase interest in and questions about the library • Increased access to some services—library has invited partner to training on grant writing

11. Partners’ Views of the Challenges Libraries Face in Reaching Spanish Speakers • Lack of awareness of Spanish speakers and area agencies about what library has to offer • Culture and language barriers • Demands on time for both customers and partners • Documentation needed to obtain library card

12. Partner Suggestions to Libraries Reaching Out to Spanish Speakers • Hire the right person • Expand the Spanish collection • Make it easier to get a library card • Reach more people through cross-marketing with partners • Help Spanish-speakers and Americans get to know each other

13. Partnership Experiences • Changes within partner organizations as a result of partnership with the library: • More communication with the general public through library newsletters, bulletin boards, etc. • Increase interest in and questions about the library • Increased access to some services—library has invited partner to training on grant writing

14. Summary Recommendations • Initiate contact with potential partners. • Maintain contact with partners after the first project is completed. • Don’t assume Spanish speakers know about the library and its services. • Work with partners to learn more about the needs of the Spanish speakers in each individual community. • Utilize Spanish-speaking staff members

15. Summary Recommendations, cont. • Take advantage of partners’ expertise in building Spanish collections. • Consider the library an important community resource for families, educators, businesses and other organizations. • Consider partnerships as opportunities for cross-marketing. • Rethink library policies and procedures that are barriers to Spanish speakers.

16. Definition of a Partnership • An agreement between two or more partners to work together to achieve a common goal or outcome. • A style of work in which agencies and organizations deliberately decide to do things together rather than acting alone. • Develops a sense of community in which partners see themselves as complimenting and supporting each other for the good of all.

17. Levels of Participation • Informing • Important first step for partnership • Should be a two-way flow • Should include process for feedback • Library/partner determines what, how and when information is shared • Focus is on sharing information about library/partner services and programs

18. Levels of Participation • Sample activities at informing level • Attending meetings & events to make announcements about computers available at the library or to share information about computer classes • Distribution of flyers, brochures about computer classes at partner sites • Participation in programs and events sponsored by partner such as displays at community fairs

19. Levels of Participation • Consulting • Involves partner in process of gathering information about community needs • Identifies the problems/needs of the community • Identifies alternatives and options for action • Offers another opportunity to listen to each other, learn about each other • Focus is on improving/expanding library/partner services to better serve community; library and partner-centered

20. Levels of Participation • Sample Activities at Consulting Level • Appointing Advisory Committee to guide library in serving community (e.g., advice on setting up computer class schedule and types of classes to offer) • Appointing Advisory Committee to meet requirements of potential funding organization (e.g., for LSTA grants) • Asking partner to submit letter of support for grant proposal • Using the community leader interview process to identify community needs • Getting feedback on ideas for how library can respond

21. Levels of Participation • Making Decisions Together • Encourage partners to provide additional ideas and alternatives • Planning and decision-making responsibilities are shared • Focus is on involving partners in arriving at decisions on library programs and services

22. Levels of Participation • Sample Activities at Making Decisions Together Level • Joint review of community leader interview data and decision on community needs to be addressed • Decision to focus library computer classes on searching for jobs or resources for learning English; identification of gaps • Joint review of existing services and resources that partners/community can each contribute • Assessment of computer lab equipment or facilities available in community for classes • Agreement on type, frequency and location of library computer classes offered to community

23. Levels of Participation • Acting Together • Partners decide together what is best and they develop a plan to carry it out • Partners understand and support each other’s mission and needs • Focus is on joint response to community needs

24. Levels of Participation • Sample Activities for Acting Together Level • Written goals for how the partnership will help the community • Joint, written action plan including specific objectives, timeline, and responsibilities for each partner

25. Effective Partnerships • Effective partnerships operate at the deciding together and acting together stages.

26. Exercise 2: Assessing Partnership Participation • Use the partnership example from Exercise 1 to respond to the following: • What level of participation best describes this partnership? • What level of participation would be optimal? • Brainstorm ideas for increasing the level of participation in the partnership.

27. Characteristics of Effective Partnerships • Agreement that a partnership is good for all partners. • Shared vision of what can be accomplished • Willingness to work together to address an agreed upon need • Willingness to trust each other in carrying out the mission • Understanding that partners may have different agendas and willingness to accommodate them if possible • Realistic and achievable goals • Joint decision making

28. Characteristics of Effective Partnerships • Effective management of the partnership • Effective ways of working together • Effective and frequent communication • Leadership of respected individuals • Respect and trust between partners • Time to build the partnership

29. Exercise 3: Developing Effective Partnerships • Using the partnership example from Exercises 1 & 2: • Consider each characteristic of an effective partnership • How would you assess your partnership’s status on each characteristic? • For each characteristic, brainstorm strategies to make the partnership more effective.

30. Additional Strategies for Developing and Sustaining Successful Partnerships • Keep the commitment and activities simple at first. • Communicate with partners regularly. • Encourage partners to be “up front” about their needs. Set up win/win situations for partners. • Encourage communication and discussion of conflicts and differences. Deal with problems as quickly as possible. • Get to know your partners personally and informally • Plan activities that are fun • Acknowledge/celebrate small successes along the way

31. Exercise 4: Differences in Cultural Values • See Exercise 4: Differences in Cultural Values Worksheet and Values Differences Handout

32. Guidelines for Multicultural Partnerships • Learn from generalizations about other cultures and races but don’t use those generalizations to stereotype. • Remember that cultural norms may not apply to the behavior of any particular individual. • Don’t assume that there is one right way (yours) to communicate. • Don’t assume that breakdowns in communication occur because other people are on the wrong track.

33. Guidelines for Multicultural Partnerships • Listen actively and emphatically • Respect others’ choices about whether or not to engage in communication with you. • Stop, suspend judgment and try to look at the situation as an outsider. • Be prepared for a discussion of the past. • Be aware of current power imbalances • Source: Brownlee, Tim. “Multicultural Collaboration.” Community Tool Box, University of Kansas. ctb.ku.edu

34. ¡MUCHAS GRACIAS!