Collaboration with Faculty: What They Don’t Teach You in Library School

1. Collaboration with Faculty: What They Don’t Teach You in Library School Sarah Jane Dooley ASEE/ELD Session 1441 June 15, 2009

2. Outline • Introduction and background • Collaboration • Library School and networking • Workplace challenges and strategies • Recommendations • Future of collaboration • Conclusion

3. Introduction • Can be challenging making connections as a new librarian • Establishing productive relationships with faculty • Needed to succeed in liaison work • Supports career advancement • Networking and collaboration play in integral role • Library School curriculum did not sufficiently prepare me • Will offer recommendations and approaches

4. Background • Sexton Library, Dalhousie University • Engineering, Architecture & Planning • Sexton Campus started as its own institution • Approximately 1,900 of 16,000 students in total • Informal, small school/work environment • Library is in close proximity to departments

5. Librarians at Dalhousie • Librarians are faculty members • Collaboration with teaching faculty • Crucial to success on the job • Supports portfolio for promotion/tenure application • Fostering connections is important • Information literacy programs • Collection development • Professional development

6. About Me • Graduated with MLIS from Dalhousie in 2005 • Interned at the Sexton Library 2003-2005 • Liaison Librarian, 2005-Present • Subjects: Biological, Chemical, Environmental, Petroleum Engineering, Food Science • Coordinator Reference & Promotion/Outreach

7. Photo used under creative commons license: http://www.flickr.com/photos/wonderferret/2900631165/

8. Collaboration • Librarianship thrives on collaboration • Involves mutually beneficial outcomes for librarians and faculty • Promotion of library resources • Increased library usage • Higher quality research

9. Collaboration Collaboration outcomes will lead to: • Success in day-to-day liaison duties • Development of peer-level relationships with faculty

10. Library School and “Networking” • Curriculum did not include liaison work as topic • Disconnect with idea of networking as it relates to the job • Professional Partnering Program • Formal and informal settings arranged by the school • Networking with other librarians • Centered around the job hunt

11. Challenges in the Workplace Photo used under creative commons license: http://www.flickr.com/photos/afgeneral/17455183/

12. Challenges in the Workplace • Unfamiliarity with how to approach faculty • No networking experience outside the library profession • Limited subject and program knowledge • Some programs had unsuccessful attempts at collaboration in the past

13. “ To be an effective collaborator, you must learn to think of yourself as a networker” (Jeffries, 2000)

14. Overcoming Challenges and Making Connections • Informal networking experience can be a basis for a more formalized setting • Process of “learning by doing” • Demands enthusiasm for self education • Getting to know faculty and organizational culture • Some guidance from co-workers

15. “In collaboration endeavours, a librarian has to be the introducer and the catalyst, as many faculty are not aware of existing options.” (Stoddart et al., 2006)

16. Overcoming Challenges and Making Connections • Be proactive and enthusiastic • Informal approach is more effective on Sexton Campus • Maintain a high level of professionalism • Show genuine interest in students and their success • Initiate collaborative projects • Be persistent and assertive

17. Strategies for Collaboration • Start by getting to know faculty, students and research interests • Foster two-way communication • Focus on repeat customers • Present yourself as the resource expert and invite faculty to contact you directly • Become their “go-to” Photo used under creative commons license: http://www.flickr.com/photos/sixteenmilesofstring/3232973518/

18. Interpersonal and Communication Strategies • Explore different avenues of communication (i.e. email, in person, etc.) • Gain credibility through liaison opportunities • Reference and research assistance • Build rapport and create peer-level relationships with faculty • Attend social events: campus events, banquets, coffee/drinks/lunch

19. Strategies Continued • Create opportunities to network • Become more visible on and offline • Create lasting partnerships

20. Creating Opportunities to Network • Develop more in-depth relationships to open doors for instruction opportunities • Assist in program development • Collaborate on library assignments for students • Never turn down an opportunity to guest lecture • Attend faculty meetings • Attend student thesis defense • Attend student conference

21. Becoming Visible • Offline • Put a face to the library • Informal communication • Face-to-face meetings • Attendance at social events and faculty meetings • Online • Send out regular emails • Facebook presence • Libguides promotion

22. Net “working” It Photo by Dalhousie University Photographer Nick Pearce

23. Creating Lasting Partnerships • Take a leadership role • Participate in campus-wide activities • Volunteer for events • Meet future collaborators Photo by Dalhousie University Photographer Nick Pearce

24. Recommendations • Workplace • Formalize a mentoring program • Provide documentation to support liaison work • Create a set of guidelines to help set goals for new librarians • Experienced librarians should set an example • Encourage involvement in other programs (ASEE-ELD, or SLA)

25. Recommendations • Library School curriculum • Devote more time to topic of liaison work • Networking outside library profession • Teaching faculty • Foster collaboration and maintain connections • Spread the word about a successful connection with liaison • Keep an open mind to collaborative web technologies

26. Future of Collaboration • Technology presents more innovative ways to collaborate • Involve and educate faculty • Collaborative web technologies • Libguides • Widgets in Blackboard Learning System (BLS) • Why not involve faculty in content creation? • Facebook • Groups for courses • Libguides Application • Library Fan Pages

27. Conclusion • Learned most on the job • Mentoring program could ease transition for new librarians • Did not realize importance of networking until on the job • Key elements to successful program of collaboration: • Maintaining your visibility • Creating opportunities • Forging lasting partnerships

28. Conclusion • Improved faculty-library relationships • Created opportunities to enhance portfolio for next promotion • Exploration into new technologies will continue • Relationships will continue to strengthen and evolve