Collaboration Common Solutions Group May 10, 2002 Joan K. Lippincott Coalition for Networked Information

Overview Collaboration, cooperation, and exchange relationships Collaboration, cooperation, and exchange relationships Types of IT/library collaboration Types of IT/library collaboration Improving collaboration Improving collaboration

CNI: a collaborative organization Sponsors - EDUCAUSE and ARL Sponsors - EDUCAUSE and ARL Programs Programs Working Together Working Together New Learning Communities New Learning Communities University Presses University Presses Assessment Assessment

What does it mean? Collaboration Collaboration Partnerships Partnerships Teamwork Teamwork Cooperation Cooperation Exchange relationships Exchange relationships

Exchange relationships One entity works for another One entity works for another One unit sets goals and parameters One unit sets goals and parameters Another unit carries out work and receives something in exchange Another unit carries out work and receives something in exchange NOT collaboration NOT collaboration

Collaboration Mutual goal-setting Mutual goal-setting Each unit contributes resources Each unit contributes resources Each entity or individual contributes unique skills Each entity or individual contributes unique skills Group and individual accountability Group and individual accountability Both benefit from the product Both benefit from the product

Do you want to collaborate? Requires more time than cooperation Requires more time than cooperation Requires input of resources Requires input of resources Does not require merger Does not require merger May result in a richer product May result in a richer product

Collaboration Institutional goals Institutional goals Need for skills Need for skills Pooling resources Pooling resources Institutional mindset Institutional mindset Lack of admin. Support Lack of admin. Support Stereotypes Stereotypes Budgetary control Budgetary control Silo mentality Silo mentality Time Time Promoting Hindering

Examples of collaboration Infrastructure/middleware Infrastructure/middleware Services Services Campus information products Campus information products Policies Policies Education and staff development Education and staff development Digital content development Digital content development Facilities Facilities

Infrastructure/Middleware Authentication Authentication DRM DRM Metadata Metadata Course management systems Course management systems Security Security Preservation Preservation Assessment Assessment

Services Information commons Information commons One stop shopping One stop shopping Information/Help Desk Information/Help Desk Reference/Consulting Reference/Consulting

Campus information products Seamless environments for student services Seamless environments for student services Campus portals Campus portals “My University” “My University”

Policies Intellectual property Intellectual property Privacy Privacy Acceptable behavior Acceptable behavior

Education and staff development Faculty workshops Faculty workshops Student teaching/learning Student teaching/learning Staff workshops Staff workshops

Digital content products Digital library projects Digital library projects E-journals E-journals Large databases Large databases Institutional repositories Institutional repositories

Facilities Information commons Information commons Teaching,learning, technology centers Teaching,learning, technology centers Media centers Media centers Development opportunities Development opportunities

Collaborative facilities

Improving collaborations Communication Communication Group composition Group composition Group process Group process

Communication Spend time developing a common vision and shared meaning Spend time developing a common vision and shared meaning Understand what each member of the group does Understand what each member of the group does

Communication Develop a shared vocabulary Develop a shared vocabulary Focus on goals for the institution or user community Focus on goals for the institution or user community

Group composition Rationale for participation Rationale for participation Balance groups, committees, and teams Balance groups, committees, and teams Library/IT Library/IT Gender Gender Skill sets Skill sets

Group process Discuss and develop a common approach to the work process Discuss and develop a common approach to the work process Do librarians value discussion and believe it’s important just to talk? Do librarians value discussion and believe it’s important just to talk? Do computing professionals want to make quick decisions and get to work? Do computing professionals want to make quick decisions and get to work?

Group process Large carrier ship vs. speedboat Large carrier ship vs. speedboat “Meeting culture” vs. “Meetings are anathema” “Meeting culture” vs. “Meetings are anathema” “Think it over carefully” vs. “Just figure it out” “Think it over carefully” vs. “Just figure it out”

Successful collaborations Shape a common purpose Shape a common purpose Agree on performance goals Agree on performance goals Define a common working approach Define a common working approach Develop complementary skills Develop complementary skills Hold the group accountable Hold the group accountable Katzenbach and Smith, 1993

Contact information Joan Lippincott