1. Making Connections and Making Changes
The Sister Libraries Program of ALA's International Relations Round Table
April 4, 2018

2. Melissa West Public librarian in southern Maine.
First worked with the IRRT Sister Libraries Committee as part of of her ALA Emerging Leaders project last year.
Returned Peace Corps Volunteer (Azerbaijan, ).
Melissa West

3. Dr. Rebecca L. Miller, MLS, PhD
Founder and principal consultant of BiblioDev, LLC, a consulting firm with the mission of assisting libraries in developing countries, “because better libraries lead to better lives.”
Resides in Munich, Germany.
Former Library Director at the American University of Afghanistan; Assistant Professor of LIS at U Kentucky; Program Director at the School of Library & Information Management at Emporia State University.
Dr. Rebecca L. Miller, MLS, PhD

4. J. Angela Wiehagen Academic librarian in the Seattle area.
Returned Peace Corps Volunteer (Russia).
Nominated to co-chair Sister Libraries Committee after presenting on the Sister Libraries program at the Russian Library Association annual conference in Penza, Russia, in 2013.
J. Angela Wiehagen

5. Libraries build community, but today’s community is a global one
Libraries build community, but today’s community is a global one. Many of today's library users have immigrated from other countries. Many routinely travel for pleasure and conduct business abroad. Becoming a Sister Library is an opportunity to build relationships with libraries in other cultures that can help us learn, understand, and better serve our own community.
Sarah Ann Long
ALA President,
Some history...

6. The Sister Libraries Committee
Promotes Sister Library relationships with libraries and librarians throughout the world.
Develops guidelines and suggested activities that Sister Libraries can use to establish and enrich their partnerships.
Helps libraries to connect with each other.
These three points summarize the main purpose of the committee…
As for the last one, we help personally when asked and if we are able, but generally the committee helps libraries to connect by keeping an online directory of libraries that have expressed interest, and the idea is that the libraries match themselves up.
However, when the old Sister Libraries site - the wiki hosted by ALA - became unusable somewhere around 2014, I think, it threw a bit of a wrench in the work of the committee, since the program has traditionally relied so heavily on the online directory, which was on the wiki (but we could no longer edit and update the wiki, and it got hacked a few times, unfortunately).
To attempt to circumvent these issues, with the permission of the then-IRRT chair, I created a Google Site for Sister Libraries, and I’ll show that to you later in the webinar. Our web presence will be changing again soon, it turns out, but the Google Site is still an up-to-date and pretty comprehensive place to start.
We were delighted when, last year, a group of Emerging Leaders was tasked with studying Sister Libraries and making recommendations for how to improve these and other activities of the committee. The first speaker, Melissa West, will talk about the project; after that, Rebecca Miller will discuss the value of being a Sister Library and how to get buy-in from leadership and colleagues in your library.  Last, I’ll go over the process of how interested libraries can join the program, and I’ll talk about a few of my own recommendations too – and we should have time for Q&A!

7. Emerging Leaders 2017 A Sister Libraries Program Project
ALA’s Emerging Leaders program provides leadership development opportunities for newer library professionals to gain an understanding of ALA’s structure, engage in problem-solving and serve the profession while working on a small group project for six months.
IRRT has often submitted a project for consideration.

8. Building and Enhancing Global Connections Through Sister Libraries
Identify factors that lead to successful and sustainable partnerships
Propose new approaches to improve the sustainability of partnerships
Provide updated information about partnerships, and develop/update materials materials based on project findings

9. Emerging Leaders Project Research Methods
Perform a review of the literature related to library partnerships
Carry out an open-ended questionnaire with program participants
Conduct an online survey of librarians familiar with AND unaware of the program to assess awareness and interest

10. Important Factors for A Successful Partnership
Have a formal agreement to establish and manage expectations
Facilitate frequent communication that is accessible to both parties
Have a flexible mindset as partnerships may not go as planned and will evolve over time.

11. Setting up & Sustaining A Partnership Factors to Consider
Ensure a feeling of equality between partner libraries
Consider a trial period before formalizing the partnership
Identify funding and a cost structure for the partnership
Have institutional support and involve multiple employees in the project
KEEP PARTNERS ENGAGED AND ENERGIZED!

12. Recommendation 1 How Partnerships Are Created
Consider existing relationships and organizations in the community
Consider community needs + interests
Partner libraries should have similar communication expectations
Have a partner in mind when reaching out to the Sister Libraries Committee

13. Recommendation 2 Marketing Materials & Outreach Opportunities
Increase the program’s social media presence
Develop short yet informative marketing materials that highlight the benefits of Sister Libraries Partnerships
Update promotional materials

14. Recommendation 3 Materials To Build & Enhance Partnerships
Create a form to update + maintain contact information for partner libraries
Create document templates for partner libraries to use
Provide a list of potential funding and grant opportunities for partner libraries to consider

15. Sister Libraries Webinar Getting Everyone on Board
Rebecca L. Miller, MA, MLS, PhD
Principal Consultant
BiblioDev, LLC

16. Think like a… Library Director Board Member City Council Member
How much is this going to cost?
What benefit will it bring?
Why should I care?

17. Do your homework first
Check out the Sister Libraries committee webpage for background information
Do I really have time for this?
Who could be my ally?
Anyone on the Library Board, City Council, or Friends?
What possible international connections might they have?
What immigrant and/or refugee communities are in your area of service?
Is your city a member of Sister Cities International?
If so, who in your city is responsible for the relationship?

18. Determine Your Own Resources
Sister Library partnerships can be demanding
s, Skype calls, program preparations
How much time do you have in your schedule for regular meetings?
Make time for checking in with partner
Regular Skype calls
Do you have time/skills to write grants?
Funding for visits, programs, book swaps
Are you inventive with program ideas?
Do you have the tenacity to carry it on your own?

19. Rally Supporters and Allies
Identify people on the Board, City Council, Friends, schools, local agencies, etc…
International connections
Prepare your elevator speech
A sister library partnership will help our library because…
It will cost us…
Your support will help us…
Can we count on you?

20. Value: Serving Immigrant & Refugee Communities
Build stronger bridges to immigrant and refugee communities
Expand awareness and understanding by local community
Helpful tools:
Top Immigrant Populations by State (MPI)
populations-us-state
Refugee Processing Center (RPC)

21. Value: Strengthening Sister City Relationship
Built-in relationships
Support your city’s partnership
Demonstrate value of the partnership to the city
Helpful tools:
Sister Cities International – find your city’s sister & local contact info!

22. Value: Building Bridges to World
Direct connection to another country
Enrich local understanding of another part of the world
Provide programming and projects for schools

23. Respond to a… Library Director Board Member City Council Member
How much is this going to cost?
Dedicated time per week
Small amount of project funding (grants!)
What benefit will it bring?
Enhanced services to immigrant/refugee community
Expanded experiences with Sister City
Why should I care?

24. Helpful Reading
Lee, J., & Bolt, N. (2016). International Partnerships: Value, Benefits, and the Library Administrator's Role. Journal of Library Administration, 56(3),

25. For now, our Google Site: https://sites. google

26. Becoming a Sister Library: 1. Plan
[Screenshot of directory]
Discuss Melissa’s/EL’s tip for having a library in mind - give info/advice for places to look
Connect with US for guidance!

28. Becoming a Sister Library: 2. Find a Library
[Screenshot of directory]
Discuss Melissa’s/EL’s tip for having a library in mind - give info/advice for places to look

30. Becoming a Sister Library: 3. Activities

31. Once you’re a Sister Library... 4. Share Your Experience
Share your Sister Library experience on social media, in your local media, or through a special event.
Submit your success story to us! Success Stories inspire others!
Diane Hunt Braybrook was Librarian at Helen Morgan  School, Sparta, New Jersey, USA and 
Bronwyn Smith was Librarian Cobar Shire Library, Cobar, New South Wales, Australia. They met in Hawaii in February 2017.

32. New site forthcoming… http://www. ala

33. Partnership Agreement
What’s next? Follow up on Emerging Leaders’ recommendations, especially…
Partnership Agreement
Encourage libraries to mutually agree on the nature of the partnership at the start:
Time and cost expectations
How formal you wish it to be
Desired outcomes

34. How the committee would ideally work
How the committee would ideally work... Angie’s recommendations for future Sister Libraries Committee members:
Continue monthly meetings; take and archive meeting minutes.
Draft a mission, a vision, objectives, and a strategic plan for the committee.
Goals for growing Sister Libraries participants?
Submit annual conference proposals to report on Sister Libraries activities?
Establish committee member roles!
Division of duties helps the work get done.
Benefits members: Clearly defined roles & accomplishments can be valuable for members’ professional development, good for resumes and CVs...
So that was an overview of how the program works currently, from the outside - how interested libraries become involved and find resources to help them - so if you are interested, please jummp in.
I’d like to end by discussing a few ways that I’d love to see the committee itself change.
Continue monthly meetings; keep and save meeting minutes.
2. Draft a mission, a vision, objectives, and a strategic plan for the committee.
3. Establish committee member roles! Division of duties helps the work get done AND clarifies

35. Proposed new committee member roles:

36. Webmaster Maintains organization of Committee’s files
Updates website as needed
Refreshes bibliography
Researches and writes committee’s history
Webmaster

37. Increases, manages Committee’s social media presence
Continuously pursues new outlets for promoting Sister Libraries: international orgs, professional listservs...
Updates our logo, brochures, and marketing materials as needed
Outreach & Marketing

38. Committee chairs assign incoming requests to the committee member responsible for that region.
Ex., a request from a library in the UK would be handled by the committee member who oversees Europe.
Specialist provides initial personal guidance for finding a library and getting started, answers questions, etc.
Regional specialists

39. Thank you! Questions?