Building Strong Library Associations | Sustaining Your Library Association BSLA Stakeholders Workshop Yaounde, Cameroon, April 2012 Managing Relationships

Building Strong Library Associations | Sustaining Your Library Association Association culture Members Stakeholders Partners Friends Key Relationships Key Relationships

Building Strong Library Associations | Sustaining Your Library Association Trust between stakeholders Open communication Knowledge sharing Celebration of achievements Decisions are made in an open and transparent way, in line with policy and procedures There is no blame when things go wrong but an objective review focusing on improvement Relationship Culture Association Culture

Building Strong Library Associations | Sustaining Your Library Association Relationship management is about fostering good relations with people or organizations to improve outcomes You need to foster good relationship with Members Stakeholders Partners Good Relationship

Building Strong Library Associations | Sustaining Your Library Association For strategic relationships to be successful the following elements should be in place: Ethical behaviour Effective communication Trust A relationship both demands and fosters trust Features of Good Relationship

Building Strong Library Associations | Sustaining Your Library Association Loyalty Reliability Credibility A credible profile should be established Flexibility – Be prepared to change with circumstances What are you prepared to negotiate? Features of Good Relationship

Building Strong Library Associations | Sustaining Your Library Association Attitudes must be positive and constructive The first step in building better relationships is changing our mindset See opportunities rather than obstacles. Be positive Assumptions and expectations are managed Assumptions and expectations can get in the way of good communication Assumptions are often so deeply embedded in our thought patterns that we don’t realise we have them Features of Good Relationship

Building Strong Library Associations | Sustaining Your Library Association Relationship Management This should be well planned and evaluated Relationship Risks Identify the risks of a relationship (what if) Relationship risks should be well managed Learn from experience in the relationship and work to build it in a positive way Be considerate and respectful, particularly to those in power Features of Good Relationship

Building Strong Library Associations | Sustaining Your Library Association Strengthening Relationship

Building Strong Library Associations | Sustaining Your Library Association Strengthen communication channels. Talk to partners or potential partners Promote what benefits there are for potential partners Ensure activities are relevant, attractive and available at appropriate times Attracting and retention of Relationship Strategies to address recruitment and retention issues

Building Strong Library Associations | Sustaining Your Library Association Strengthening the Association through PARTNERSHIPS

Building Strong Library Associations | Sustaining Your Library Association A strategic partnership/or alliance - is a formal agreement between an association and another agency in which they agree to work together to achieve a common strategic goal, e.g., collaboration on an advocacy campaign Partnerships can also be less formal and more akin to networking. Most associations belong to other groups – at the national, regional and international levels What is a Partnership?

Building Strong Library Associations | Sustaining Your Library Association Pooling resources to address an issue(people and funds.....) Enables action that might not be possible alone More ideas and expertise lead to better strategies Increased credibility if in a partnership Improved learning when done in an collaboration Open up new opportunities not otherwise possible Benefits of Partnerships Partnerships

Building Strong Library Associations | Sustaining Your Library Association The purpose of the relationship is clear and agreed The value and benefits to partners is clear The purpose is central to the mission and goals of the association and its partner Communication between partners is carefully managed and monitored Mechanisms are in place to deal with changes in circumstances Successful Partnerships Ensure the following Successful Partnerships

Building Strong Library Associations | Sustaining Your Library Association Partners can be found from networking efforts, or engagement in advocacy or policy work with other agencies: IFLA provides networking opportunities for associations Other library and information sector associations – in your country or region Library and information sector community – establish relationships with your national library and other regional groups Identifying Strategic Partners

Building Strong Library Associations | Sustaining Your Library Association Educational institutions IT sector are other potential partners on issues such as licenses, copyright and access issues Museums, libraries, archives, monuments NGOs in related sectors Standards organisations Rights organisations ( e.g. copyright and licensing ) UNESCO national commission for Africa in your country Identifying Strategic Partners – Other Organizations

Building Strong Library Associations | Sustaining Your Library Association THANK YOU ANY QUESTIONS ?