Agriculture Network Information Center (AgNIC) – Building Partnerships among Land Grant Universities, County Extension and Others Melanie Gardner AgNIC Coordinator National Agricultural Library/USDA May 3, 2006 Maryland Library Association

National/International Initiative GOAL:  To provide immediate access to a broad base of agricultural research and practical information using a distributed Web-based retrieval system developed and maintained by an alliance of land-grant universities, the National Agricultural Library, and other interested organizations

AgNIC Audiences Students and faculty in universities, colleges, K-16 General public Government agency personnel Policy makers Industry partners International customers

AgNIC Partners Universities Research Institutes Not-for-Profit Organizations Government Agencies Others

Collaboration from the Beginning Preliminary AgNIC concept development (1994) General Services Administration grant to NAL (October 1995) - $250,000 With this funding NAL worked with the University of Arizona, Cornell University, University of Nebraska, and Iowa State to create the first AgNIC Web sites Decided to go with Open Source – free & collaboratively supported and developed

First Generation of AgNIC Five original partners “Centers of Excellence” approach Subjects chosen in areas of strength Evaluated links to related subject sites Online reference services offered within first 2 years Encouraged development of FAQs and FURs

Building the Concept Face-to-face meeting annually to express needs, train, plan, and resolve issues Decided on a “distributed” architecture Currently 60* institutional members Instituted a “partner’s portal” in Fall of 2005 for developing content and collaborative virtual workspace New version of portal will be released next week

Collaboration … it’s easy! Technology makes it easier than ever before Find others who believe in the same goals Put organizational or institutional “ego” aside Communicate, communicate, communicate … Share content, ideas, skills, and share the “load” – for reference and developing new projects

Partnering with Extension Commonalities between local libraries and county extension  Local presence  Every county  Similar goals Logical partnerships!

Why would you partner? Customers expect extended and expanded resources. Budgets are shrinking! Partners share the load. Share skills.

Benefits of Partnerships Improved and expanded information and resources Increased access to and awareness of information and expertise Reduced redundancy Improved efficiencies and cost benefit Improved long-term access to information

How do you build partnerships? Build on your natural strength!  Information management and delivery  Education and outreach Try not to infringe on each other’s “territory” Find common ground - together Stay positive Understand that there is enough for everyone to do Stress the strength of working together

QUESTIONS? Contacts: Melanie Gardner