ACRL News Issue (B) of College & Research Libraries 6 9 8 / C&RL N e w s ■ S e p te m b e r 2 0 0 0 COMMUNITY & COLLABORATION T h e L o n e R a n g e r i s d e a d Success today dem ands c o lla b o ra tio n Bee tsy Wilso“Wne are a nation of great accomplishments and future potential, but we are also plagued with huge problems in our communities: al­ cohol and drug abuse, crime, inadequate schooling, families (or perhaps more appro­ priately, non-families) and the reality and growing threat of a lost, wasted generation of youth, which in turn has massive implica­ tions for the economic competitiveness of the United States.”1 In an era of widespread public distrust, leaders around the nation are turning to col­ leges and universities for help in solving so­ cietal problems. The same leaders are con­ cerned about what they perceive as mis­ matches between college and university mis­ sions and the needs of communities. They also are asking for meaningful measures of accountability and involvement with local communities. The college and university’s comparative advantage in the information society is the breadth and depth of its knowledge base. Couple this knowledge base with higher education’s ability to innovate and create new knowledge, and you have the potential for powerful economic, social, and cultural im­ pact. Many leaders have called for “engaged colleges and universities.” Such an institution systematically structures, rewards, and en­ courages partnerships and collaborations. An T he library is the intellectual crossroads of byt h community—a house of stories preservin our memory and fostering communication an collaboration. Librarians can lead collaboration that will keep that community alive and vibrant This is the first installment of a series o community and collaboration that will ru throughout my presidential year. Each month different writers will share with you storie of successful collaborations that strengthe our communities. These articles will inspir you to move outward from your campuse into the interconnected worlds of higher edu cation, K-12, extended communities, glob partners, and those who employ your gradu ates. Why is collaboration im portant? Many leaders have called for colleges an universities to become more sensitive to thei public responsibility and relationships, an less self-indulgent. Educational collaboration and partnerships are burgeoning across th country. Why have our institutions put col laboration at the forefront? It’s relativel simple. Our colleges and universities ar changing because the world has changed. Engaged colleges and universities Peter Magrath, president of the National As sociation of State Universities and Land-Gra Colleges said: g d s . n n , s n e s ­ al ­ d r d s e ­ y e ­ nt A b o u t t he a u th o r Betsy Wilson is president o f ACRL a nd associate director o f libraries fo r research and instructional services a t th e Universit o f Washington, e-mail: betsyw@u.washington.edu y mailto:betsyw@u.washington.edu C & R L N e w s ■ S e p t e m b e r 2 0 0 0 / 6 9 9 C o l l a b o r a t io n is n o t s i m p l y d e s ir a b le , it is i n e v i t a b l e . In a ll b u t t h e m o s t r a r e o f c a s e s , o n e is t o o s m a ll a n u m b e r t o s o l v e p r o b le m s . e n g a g e d in stitu tio n , w h e t h e r p u b lic o r p ri­ v a te, c o lla b o r a te s w ith c o m m u n itie s , n o t o n ly in its im p o rta n t tra d itio n a l m is s io n s o f e d u ­ c a tin g s tu d e n ts o n c a m p u s e s a n d p r o d u c in g r e le v a n t r e s e a r c h , b u t a ls o in f o c u s i n g o n c o m m u n ity p a rtn e rs h ip s a n d c o ll a b o r a t i o n s .2 D e a t h o f t h e L o n e R a n g e r A t t h e s a m e tim e t h a t le a d e r s a r e c a llin g f o r in s titu tio n a l e n g a g e m e n t , w e h a v e e x p e r i ­ e n c e d t h e e n d o f th e L o n e R a n g e r. T h e m y th o f t h e tr iu m p h a n t in d iv id u a l, t h e ru g g e d in ­ d iv id u a list, is d e e p l y in g r a in e d in t h e A m e ri­ c a n p s y c h e . W h e t h e r it is t h e L o n e R a n g e r, J o h n G l e n n , M u h a m m a d Ali, A m e lia E a rh a rt, M a rtin L u th e r K in g J r . , o r P a u l R e v e r e , w e a re a n a t i o n s m itte n w ith h e r o i n e s a n d h e ­ ro e s . L e a d e r s h ip is t o o o f t e n s e e n a s a n in ­ h e r e n t l y in d iv id u a l p h e n o m e n o n . W e a re b e g i n n i n g t o r e c o g n i z e t h a t c o ll a b o r a t i v e le a d e r s h ip c o m b i n e s t h e p o w e r th a t is in ­ h e r e n t in t h e a c t o f le a d in g w ith t h e g r e a t e r p o w e r th a t c o m e s fr o m s h a r e d v is io n s a n d a c tio n s . C o lla b o ra tio n a n d p a rtn e rsh ip s g ro w m o re im p o rta n t e v e r y d ay. T e c h n o l o g i c a l , e c o lo g i ­ c a l, s o c ia l, e c o n o m i c , a n d p o litic a l c o m p l e x ­ ity is i n c r e a s in g at a n a c c e le r a t in g ra te. T h e r e a re f e w e r a n d f e w e r a r e n a s in w h ic h in d i­ v id u a l a c t i o n s u ff ic e s . A lm o s t a ll v a l u a b le w o r k is d o n e in a c o m m u n ity . C rea tiv ity a n d i n n o v a tio n ra re ly e m e r g e fr o m p e o p l e w o r k ­ in g a lo n e . T h e m o s t u r g e n t p r o b l e m s r e q u i r e th e c o n tr ib u tio n s o f m a n y t a le n te d p e o p l e a n d in s titu tio n s . C o lla b o r a tio n is n o t s im p ly d e ­ s ira b le , it is in e v ita b le . In a ll b u t t h e m o s t ra re o f c a s e s , o n e is t o o s m a ll a n u m b e r to s o lv e p r o b le m s . A s o n e w is e p e r s o n sa id , “N o n e o f u s is a s sm a rt a s a ll o f u s .” 2 1 s t c e n t u r y c o m m u n it i e s T h e v is io n o f t h e s u c c e s s fu l c o m m u n ity h a s c h a n g e d d ra m a tic a lly in t h e last d e c a d e . A n y s u c c e s s fu l 2 1 s t c e n tu ry c o m m u n ity m u st h a v e a c c e s s t o t h e r e q u is ite in fo r m a tio n a n d t e c h ­ n o l o g i c a l r e s o u r c e s a n d s e r v ic e s . A s in fo r­ m a tio n t e c h n o l o g y tra n s fo rm s b o t h t h e s m a ll­ e s t a n d la r g e s t c o m m u n itie s , lib ra r ia n s a re e x p e r i e n c i n g firs th a n d t h e p a tr o n d e m a n d s re s u ltin g fro m p r o fo u n d e d u c a t io n a l a n d in ­ fo r m a tio n n e e d s . T h e re a lity is th a t t h e r e is a w id e d igital d iv id e b u t a n e v e n w id e r in fo r m a tio n litera cy d iv id e. W h a t a r e th e b a s i c c o m p e t e n c ie s th at c o m m u n ity m e m b e r s n e e d ? W h o is g o in g to t e a c h th em ? W h o k n o w s w h a t r e s o u r c e s a re rea lly o u t th ere? H o w c a n t e c h n o lo g y b e u s e d t o th e fu lle s t p o te n tia l? H o w c a n th e y c h o o s e fro m a m o n g t h e v a s t array o f r e s o u r c e s a v a il­ a b le ? H o w c a n th e y k e e p up ?3 W h y a r e c o lla b o r a t io n s b e c o m in g m o r e a n d m o r e im p o rta n t? I t’s s im p le a n d c o m p e l ­ lin g. S o c ie ty h a s c h a n g e d . T h e L o n e R a n g e r is d e a d . A n d th e v is io n o f a s u c c e s s fu l c o m ­ m u n ity fo r t h e 2 1 s t c e n tu r y d e m a n d s th a t w e c o lla b o r a t e b e y o n d o u r in d iv id u a l c a m p u s e s . W h a t is c o ll a b o r a t i o n ? C o lla b o ra tio n brin g s to g e th e r th e w id est ra n g e o f ta le n ts a n d r e s o u r c e s to s o lv e a p ro b le m , b u ild a p ro g ra m , o r c r e a te s o m e th in g e n tire ly n e w . T h e g re a te r t h e n u m b e r w h o c o m e s to th e ta b le , th e h ig h e r th e p ro b a b ility th a t w e w ill b e s u c c e s s fu l. S h a re d v is io n s a re fu n d a ­ m e n ta l t o s u c c e s s fu l c o lla b o r a t io n s . C o lla b o ­ ra tio n s th a t w o r k b r in g t o g e t h e r t h o s e w h o s h a r e th e s a m e g o a ls , a lth o u g h th e y m a y b e c o m in g fro m d iffe re n t s e g m e n ts o f th e c o m ­ m u n ity. W h a t d o w e n e e d t o b e a b l e t o c o ll a b o ­ rate? C o lla b o r a tio n d o e s n ’t c o m e n atu rally. O u r a d m i n i s t r a t i v e o r g a n i z a t i o n s , r e w a r d stru c tu re s , a n d b u d g e t p r o c e s s e s u s u a lly d o n o t fa c ilita te c o lla b o r a t io n o n o u r c a m p u s e s . C a n w e b e ta u g h t t o c o lla b o ra te ? Is th e r e a s e t o f sk ills th a t o n e m u s t h a v e? C o lla b o r a ­ tio n re q u ir e s n e g o tia tin g sk ills , b e in g a b l e to s e e tra d e o ffs , a n d b e in g c o m f o r ta b le s h a rin g c o n tr o l ( a n d w e all lik e c o n t r o l) . C o lla b o r a ­ to rs le a r n h o w t o c r o s s b o u n d a r ie s . C o lla b o ­ ra to rs h a v e a h ig h to l e r a n c e fo r am b ig u ity . O r a s o n e o f m y c o lle a g u e s sa y s , “G iv e m e a m b ig u ity o r g iv e m e s o m e th in g e l s e . ” S u c c e s s fu l c o lla b o r a t o r s g e t b e y o n d th e s u b tle b a r rie rs c r e a te d b y th e ir p r o fe s s io n a l ro le s . T h e p e r s o n a w e p r e s e n t t o t h e w o rld c a n g e t in t h e w a y . W h o w e a re c a n c r e a te a b a r r ie r t o w h a t w e n e e d to k n o w o r d o . As m y m o t h e r u s e to s a y t o u s kid s, “L is ten to 7 0 0 / C & R L N e w s ■ S e p t e m b e r 2 0 0 0 a n y b o d y w h o k n o w s a n y th in g , b e c a u s e y o u n e e d a ll t h e h e lp y o u c a n g e t .” M a n y le a d e r s g iv e lip s e r v ic e t o c o l l a b o ­ ration . F e w a ctu a lly u n d e rsta n d w h a t c o ll a b o ­ ra tio n ta k e s , w h a t it m e a n s , a n d h o w it fu n ­ d a m e n ta lly c h a n g e s o r g a n iz a tio n s . C o ll a b o ­ ra tio n is s u b s ta n tiv e ly d iffe re n t th a n c o o p ­ e r a tio n o r c o o r d in a tio n . It is d iffe re n t in v i­ s io n a n d rela tio n sh ip s, structure, auth ority an d a c c o u n ta b ility , a n d r e s o u r c e s a n d rew a rd s. P a u l M attessich o u tlin e s th e e ss e n tia l e le m e n ts o f s u c c e s s fu l c o ll a b o r a t i o n s :4 • V isio n a n d r e l a t i o n s h i p s . C o lla b o ra tio n s re q u ir e th e c o m m itm e n t o f o r g a n iz a tio n s a n d th e ir le a d e r s . A d m in istra tiv e c o m m itm e n t is p a ra m o u n t. T w o o r g a n iz a tio n s a r e n o t ju st m a s h e d to g e th e r , b u t ra th e r a n e w c o m m o n m is s io n a n d g o a ls a re c r e a te d . O n e o r m o r e p r o je c ts a re u n d e r ta k e n f o r lo n g e r -te r m r e ­ sults. • S tr u c tu r e , r e s p o n s ib ilit ie s , a n d c o m m u ­ n i c a t i o n . In c o lla b o r a t io n s , a n e w stru c tu re an d / o r c le a rly d e fin e d a n d in te rr e la te d ro le s c o n s titu te a fo rm a l d iv is io n o f la b o r. M o re c o m p r e h e n s i v e p la n n in g in c lu d e s jo in t stra t­ e g ie s a n d m e a s u r in g s u c c e s s in te rm s o f im ­ p a c t o n n e e d s o f t h o s e s e r v e d . M a n y le v e ls o f c o m m u n ic a tio n a r e c r e a te d in c o ll a b o r a ­ t io n s — m a n y , m a n y i n fo r m a l m e th o d s a r e u s e d . • A u t h o r it y a n d a c c o u n t a b i l i t y . A u th o r­ ity is d e te r m in e d b y t h e c o lla b o r a t o r s to b a l­ a n c e o w n e rs h ip . L e a d e rs h ip is d is p e rs e d , a n d c o n tr o l is s h a r e d a n d m u tu a l. All in s u c c e s s ­ fu l c o lla b o r a t io n s s h a re e q u a l risk. • R e s o u r c e s a n d r e w a r d s . R e s o u r c e s a re p o o l e d o r jo in tly s e c u r e d fo r a lo n g e r-te r m e ffo rt th a t is m a n a g e d b y t h e c o lla b o r a tiv e stru ctu re. O rg a n iz a tio n s s h a r e in t h e p r o d ­ u c ts a n d in c re d it. It g o e s w ith o u t s a y in g th a t m o r e is a c c o m p lis h e d jo in tly th a n c o u ld h a v e b e e n in d iv id u ally. T h e r e a r e m a n y e x a m p l e s o f s u c c e s s fu l c o lla b o ra tio n s , in c lu d in g th e B a u h a u s s c h o o l, t h e M a n h a tta n p r o je c t, th e G u a r n e r i Q u a r te t, th e h u m a n g e n o m e p r o je c t, t h e D is n e y stu ­ d io , X e r o x PARC, a n d t h e H a r le m R e n a is ­ s a n c e . B u t e v e n in th e m o s t p r o d u c tiv e c o l ­ l a b o r a tio n s t h e r e a r e c h a lle n g e s . Let m e s h a r e w ith y o u t h e e x p e r i e n c e s o f t h e T riU n iv e rs ity G r o u p ( T U G ) l ib r a r ia n s .5 T U G is c o m p r i s e d o f t h e U n i v e r s i t y o f G u e lp h , U n iv ersity o f W a te rlo o , a n d W ilfrid L a u rier U n iv ersity . T h e s e t h r e e C a n a d ia n in­ s titu tio n s h a v e e n te r e d in to a c o m p r e h e n s iv e c o lla b o r a t io n t o e n a b l e t h e c o o r d in a t io n o f th e ir s e r v ic e s a n d r e s o u r c e s in s u c h a m a n ­ n e r th a t t h e t h r e e lib ra r ie s w e r e p e r c e iv e d a n d e x p e r i e n c e d b y th e ir u s e rs a s a s in g le library. H o w ’s th at f o r a p r o b le m th at re q u ire s c o lla b o ra tio n ? W h a t th e T U G lib ra ria n s fo u n d w a s that c o lla b o r a t io n e v e n a m o n g w illin g p a rtn e rs is c o m p l e x a n d re q u ir e s a c o n t in u o u s o r g a n i­ z a tio n a l d e v e lo p m e n t . T h e y f o u n d th a t e f ­ f e c tiv e c o ll a b o r a t i o n is n o t a c c id e n ta l. T h e first s te p is to re a liz e th a t t h e re a l ta s k is c u l­ tural tra n s fo rm a tio n : a c o n s c io u s a n d o p e n e x a m in a tio n o f v a lu e s , p e r s o n a l sy s te m s , a n d attitu d es. C o lla b o r a tio n in tr o d u c e s o r g a n iz a ­ tio n a l c h a n g e s th a t p e n e tr a te a n in s titu tio n ’s stru ctu re. In stitu tio n a l le a d e r s a n d m a n a g e rs n e e d t o a n tic ip a te a n d p r e p a r e f o r th e e f fe c ts o f c h a n g e . T h e m o s t im p o rta n t f a c to r in s u c c e s s fu l c o lla b o r a t io n s is h u m a n r e la tio n s h ip s . T h e b ig g e s t in v e s tm e n t w ill n o t b e in h a rd w a re o r in s o ftw a re , b u t in p e o p l e . T h e c h a n g e o f p e r s p e c t iv e fro m “m e ” t o “u s ,” fro m “I ” to “w e , ” fro m “t h e m ” t o “u s ” is p r o fo u n d ly d iffi­ cu lt. T h e r e a r e m a n y o p p o r tu n itie s to revert to t h e o ld w a y s. S u s ta in in g th e c u ltu r e o f th e c o lla b o r a t io n re q u ir e s a tte n tio n , p r o te c tio n , a n d v ig ila n t m a in te n a n c e . O n e o f t h e m o s t p r e d ic t a b le ( a n d o fte n p r o b le m a tic o u t c o m e f o r m a n a g e r s ) is th at in c o lla b o r a t io n s , e v e r y b o d y g e ts c h a n g e d a n d c a n ’t g o h o m e a g a in . O n c e y o u h a v e b e e n p a rt o f a s u c c e s s fu l c o lla b o r a t io n , y o u b e c o m e “h o m e le s s .” W h e n p r o b le m s a ris e a n d p r o g r e s s is dif­ ficu lt, p e o p l e in e v ita b ly a sk , “W h y b o th e r? ” C o lla b o r a tio n b e c o m e s “t o o m u c h t r o u b l e .” A s le a d e r s , w e m u s t c o n s ta n tly r e in fo r c e th e v a lu e o f c o lla b o r a tio n . H o w c a n l i b r a r ia n s b u i l d s u c c e s s f u l c o ll a b o r a t i o n s ? L ib ra ria n s h a v e a v e ry im p o rta n t r o le t o p la y in e d u c a t i o n a l c o ll a b o r a t i o n s . W e a r e th e orig in a l c o lla b o ra to r s in h ig h e r e d u c a tio n . W e c o m e fro m a cu ltu r e o f c o o p e r a ti o n , a c u l­ tu re th a t v a lu e s “th e c ir c le o f g ifts .” T h is c u ltu r e is s e e n in o u r lo n g -s ta n d in g r e s o u r c e s h a r in g p ro g ra m s ; in o u r p r o f e s ­ s io n a l o r g a n iz a tio n s ; in o u r b u r g e o n in g c o n ­ s o rtiu m s ; a n d in o u r c o lla b o r a tiv e b u ild in g o f “O C LC W o rld C a t,” th e w o r ld ’s la rg e s t a n d C & R L N e w s ■ S e p t e m b e r 2 0 0 0 / 7 0 1 m o s t u s e d d a ta b a s e . W e k n o w a n d liv e c o l la b o r a tio n . In d iv id u a lly w e h a v e s o m e a ttr ib u te s th a t a r e critic a l to s u c c e s s fu l c o ll a b o r a t i o n s . Li b r a r ia n s a r e a b l e t o o r g a n iz e g r o u p s , o r g a n iz e in f o r m a tio n flo w s , c o m m u n ic a t e , a n d m o v e g r o u p s fo rw a rd . In t h e U W ire d c o ll a b o r a t i o n a t th e U n i v e rs ity o f W a s h in g to n , lib ra r ia n s w e r e s o m e w h a t s u rp r is e d b y h o w u n iq u e t h e s e sk ills a n d a ttr ib u te s w e r e , a n d h o w critic a l th e y w e r e fo r s u c c e s s fu l p a rtn e rs h ip s . Is c o l l a b o r a t i o n w o r t h it? Y e s , u n c o n d itio n a lly — o r in t h e p a r l a n c e o S c a n d in a v ia n S e a ttle , “y a s u r e , y a b e t c h a . ” C o lla b o ra tio n c a n e n r ic h th e stu d e n t e x p e rie n c e b y c re a tin g le a rn in g c o m m u n itie s . C o l la b o ra tio n c a n e n la r g e r e s e a r c h a n d le a rn in g o p p o rtu n itie s fo r b o t h fa cu lty a n d stu d en ts. C o lla b o ra tio n c a n e m b r a c e th e n e e d s o f di v e rs e c o m m u n itie s a n d c r e a te a b r o a d e r s e n s e o f id en tifica tio n w ith th e a c a d e m y . C o lla b o ra tio n c a n d e m o n s tra te th e v a lu e o f le a rn in g a n d b u ild a c u ltu re o f life lo n g le a rn in g th a t tran s c e n d s th e c a m p u s . C o lla b o ra tio n c a n a llo w u s t o s o lv e th e rea lly b ig p ro b le m s . M a n y w h o h a v e e n g a g e d in s u c c e s s fu l c o ll a b o r a t i o n s w ill te ll y o u th a t c o ll a b o r a t i o n is its o w n re w a rd . C o lla b o r a t io n s c a n b e s i m u lta n e o u s ly ta x in g a n d e x h ila r a tin g . W e all h a v e a b a s i c u r g e t o e x p l o r e a n d d is c o v e r , to n u rtu r e n e w r e la tio n s h ip s , a n d t o tra n s fo rm t h e m in to s o m e t h in g n e w a n d w o n d e r fu l. T h e p a y o f f o f c o ll a b o r a t i v e re la tio n s h ip s is n o t m o n e y o r g lo ry . A g a in a n d a g a in , m e m b e r s o f s u c c e s s f u l c o l l a b o r a t i o n s s a y t h e y w o u ld h a v e d o n e t h e w o r k fo r n o th in g . T h e re w a rd is t h e c r e a tiv e p r o c e s s itself. P e o p l e lo n g t o d o w o r k w o r th d o in g . G iv e n s o m e ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ f ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ th in g w e b e li e v e in, a p r o b l e m th at th e w h o le c o m m u n it y n e e d s s o lv e d , a n d a c h a n c e to d o it w e ll, w e w ill w o r k tir e le s s ly f o r n o m o r e re w a r d th a n t h e o n e w e g iv e o u r s e lv e s .6 S ta y tu n e d t o th is c o lu m n f o r s to r ie s o f s u c c e s s fu l c o ll a b o r a t i o n s th a t h a v e e n r i c h e d c o m m u n it ie s a c r o s s t h e n a tio n . N o t e s 1. “T h e E n g a g e d U n iv e rs ity ,” P e n n S ta te O u tr e a c h 1, no. 1 (Spring/Summer 19 9 8 ) is avail­ a b l e at w w w .cd e.p su / ed u / N ew s/ m a g a z in e/ V o l _ l . 1/ en gaged .htm l. 2. F o r a fuller d e s c rip tio n o f institutional en g a g e m e n t, s e e th e K ello gg C o m m issio n o n th e Future o f State and Land-G rant U niversities’ R e tu r n in g to O u r R o o ts: T h e E n g a g e d In s titu ­ t i o n ( 1 9 9 9 ) , a v a i l a b l e a t h t t p :/ / w w w . nasulgc.org/p ublications/Kellogg/engage.pdf. 3. B u ild in g o n the ACRL Institute fo r Infor­ m ation Literacy Com m unity Partnerships p ro ject lead by Ju lie Tod aro, N ancy K ranich’s ALA Presi­ d ential In fo rm a tio n Literacy Initiative s e e k s to u s e a c o lla b o ra tiv e a p p ro a c h to b u ild ing strong inform ation com m unities. F o r m o re inform ation, s e e w w w .ala.org/kranich/literacy.htm l. 4 . P a u l M a tte s s ic h , C o lla b o r a t io n — W h a t M a k e s it W ork: A R e v iew o f R e s e a r c h L ite r a tu r e o n F a c t o r s I n flu e n c in g S u c c e s s fu l C o lla b o r a t io n (St. Paul: A m herst H. W ild er F o u n d a tio n , 1992). 5. F o r a full d escrip tio n o f the T U G c o lla b o ­ ration se e Murray Shepard, Virginia Gillham, and M ich ael R idley, “T h e Truth is in th e Details: Les­ s o n s in Inter-university Library C o lla b o ra tio n ,” L ib r a r y M a n a g e m e n t ( 1 9 9 9 ): 3 3 2 - 3 7 . 6. T h is p aragrap h is p a ra p h ra sed from an ex a m in a tio n o f w hat m otiv ates and sustains c re ­ ative c o lla b o ra tio n s b y W arren G. B e n n is and Patricia Ward B ied erm a n in O r g a n iz in g G e n iu s : t h e S e c r e ts o f C r e a t iv e C o lla b o r a t io n (Reading, M assach usetts: A ddison-W esley, 1 9 9 7 ). ■ http://www.cde.psu/edu/News/magazine/ http://www http://www.ala.org/kranich/literacy.html