ACRL News Issue (B) of College & Research Libraries 616 /C&RL News June 2001 ■ COMMUNITY & COLLABORATION Strategic alliances The power of collaborative partnerships by llene F. Rockman A s Peter Drucker tells us in M a n a g em en t C h allen g es f o r th e 2 1 st Century, “very few people work by themselves, and achieve results by themselves.”1 This is certainly true for academic libraries. Strategic alliances and collaborative partnerships are central to our purpose and are o f paramount importance for advancing our goals, services, and programs. Building upon an ex cellen t article by Hannelore B. Rader, which offered examples of how librarians at the University of Louis­ ville have successfully used the partnership model to becom e more visible and centered within the campus teaching and learning com­ munity,2 this companion piece looks at addi­ tional examples o f academic partnerships— this time outside of the traditional teaching and learning arena. These partnerships exemplify the notion o f TEAM (Together Each Achieves More) as central to enhancing the educational and institutional missions o f our libraries. Athletics partnerships Several libraries have unique and innovative relationships with athletics.3 At the Univer­ sity o f Wisconsin-Madison, a special e-mail reference collaboration with student athletes has forged a special mentoring relationship between the undergraduate library and these students.4 This nurturing relationship has helped to reduce the athletes’ feelings o f iso­ lation, and has contributed to their retention at the university. Another recent successful athletic partner­ ship is the Baskets for Books Program at the Madden Library of California State Univer- sity-Fresno. After b ask etball C oach Jerry Tarkanian and his wife Lois established a book fund for the library in 1998, the follow­ ing y ear they d ecid ed to cre a te a new fundraiser called the Baskets for Books Pro­ gram. For every point the university basket­ ball team scores during the season, dollars are contributed to the library from individual and corporate sponsors. Author celebrations Each year the Kennedy Library at California P o ly te c h n ic a l State U n iv ersity -San Luis Obispo, honors campus authors at an event during National Library W eek in partnership with the campus bookstore, Academic Sen­ ate, Office o f the President, and Office o f the Provost/Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs. The library mounts a W eb site, and a display o f campus books is mounted in the library and/or the bookstore. This year, the event and reception took place in the library and included a presentation o f certificates, remarks by the president and the provost, an author book signing and book sale, and the presentation o f signed copies o f books to the Cal Poly Authors Collections. Last year, Southern Methodist University also hosted a reception in the library to rec­ ognize faculty research and creative works. About the author llene F. Rockman is deputy university librarian at California State University, Hayward, e-mail: irockman@csuhayward.edu mailto:irockman@csuhayward.edu C&RL News ■ June 2001 / 617 The president and provost w ere in atten­ dance, and the event was co-sponsored by the Faculty Senate, the Friends of the Library, and the Central University Libraries. Follow ing the re cep tio n was a d ed ica­ tion of the Faculty Plaza and the ann o u n ce­ m ent that $40,000 had b ee n raised to h onor past and p re sen t faculty m em bers an d to create an en d o w m e n t for future library ac­ quisitions. Community outreach At Georgetown University, the Food for Fines exchange program provides food to the com­ munity through such organizations as the W ashington, D.C.’s “B read for the City,” which assists the elderly, the disabled, and families with children. The library waives $1 in library fines (up to a maximum of $20) for each canned good or nonperishable food item b ro u g h t to th e lib rary at a designated time. Since the library first b e g a n th e program in 1995, it h as g a th e r e d tens of thousands of food items for the community. Cultural performances It is not uncom ­ mon for libraries with spacious lob­ bies, rotundas, or large public m eet­ ing spaces to col­ laborate with m u­ sic d e p a r tm e n ts to h o s t r e c ita ls a n d performances. At UCLA, music concerts in the rotunda of Powell Library feature stu­ dent and faculty groups from the depart­ m e n ts o f m u s ic , m u s ic o lo g y , a n d ethnomusicology. During the Spring Quarter 2001, the free conceits were scheduled in the late afternoon and were open to the public. Performances featured a vocal quartet, a classical guitarist, an early music ensemble, music from the Phil­ ippines, and an Anglo American ensemble featuring folk, bluegrass, Irish, and Celtic music. R epresenting th e Baskets f o r Books donors, Harry Gaykian presents a $10,000 check to Dave Tyckoson and Julie Hernandez o f th e M adden Library. Digitization projects and fairs Many libraries have collaborated with cam­ pus information technology services to jump- start and sustain digital library collections. Using funds from an Institute of Museum and Library Services Technology Act grant, the Colorado Digitization project promotes collaboration betw een libraries, archives, his­ torical societies, and m useums to provide integrated access to the unique resources held in, and by, Colorado institutions.5 A June 2001 conference, “Cultural Heritage Collaboration in the Digital Age,” will be held at the Uni­ versity of Denver and will introduce key archive, historical society, museum, and li­ brary leaders in 23 Western states to the issues associated with developing a statewide or re­ gionally based collaborative digitization initia­ tive. The conference will include plenary and small group sessions, a vendor fair, and the opportunity to see d e m o n s tr a tio n s from several states. A n o th e r a p ­ proach to promot­ in g d ig itiz a tio n projects is through a campus fair. The 5th Harvard Digi­ tal Video and Mul­ timedia Fair was held in 1998 at the K ennedy School o f G o v e rn m e n t and included the keynote address, “Digital Libraries O v e r th e I n te r ­ net,” by librarian John B. Howard. Fundraising Biola University has developed an informa­ tive Web page to solicit donations for comple­ tion of its new library resource center, which will provide expanded study space and state- of-the-art technology. Users can m ake an online donation to the library, view photo­ graphs of the progress of the library construc­ tion, see a live Webcam, or watch a stream­ ing video of the construction. Another approach to fundraising is the University of Pennsylvania’s Library Alumni and Friends Portal. Information is provided 618 / C&RL News ■ June 2001 about various library activities, contributions can be m ade by going to Penn’s secure online gift site, and an e-friends online registration form is provided. Residence halls Librarians at D epauw University’s West Li­ brary partner with u p p e r class students w ho serve as Academic Peer Assistants (APAs) to students living in the residence halls. Librar­ ians orient the APAs to the library’s virtual tour and offer library orientation sessions in the residence halls. Similarly, the Undergraduate Library at the University of Michigan has fostered coopera­ tive efforts with the residence halls and the directors of the Living/Learning Community. Since the residence halls have libraries, peer information counselors have provided one-on- one research consultation to students. University press Unlike the traditional university press, w hich focuses on publishing paper-based books and jo u r n a ls e a c h y e a r, th e U n iv e r s ity o f Cincinnati’s Digital Press is devoted to the electronic publication o f original docum en­ tation of the trans-Mississippi West for use in research and instruction. The press developed out of an effort to preserve special materials in the University Libraries and to increase its accessibility using n ew technologies. The W eb page contains links to scholarly bibli­ ographies, online exhibits, prints at the Cin­ cinnati Historical Society Library, and images from the collections of the Public Library of Cincinnati and Hamilton County. Conclusion These are but a few examples o f h o w aca­ demic libraries have creatively connected with cam p u s, com m unity, a n d sta te w id e co l­ leagues to establish and prom ote successful endeavors that further their educational and institutional missions. Libraries have a long and strong tradition o f achieving their goals by m onitoring their environments, setting directions, staying “con­ nected,” seizing opportunities, exploring co­ operative ventures, remaining agile, w ork­ ing cooperatively, and establishing strategic partnerships. Such partnerships require effective lead­ ers, w ho Rosabeth Moss Kanter calls “cos­ m opolitans.” These are the p eople w ho are com fortable with operating across b o u n d ­ aries, forging links betw een organizations, finding com m on purposes, staying receptive to information outside of their current frame­ works, and taking pleasure in new experi­ ences and ideas.6 (c o n tin u e d on p a g e 621) More examples of partnering A thletes • h t t p : / / w w w . l i b . c s u f r e s n o . e d u / LibrarylnfomTation/Donors/BasketsForBooks. html A u th o r c e le b r a t io n s • http://w w w . lib. ca lpoly.edu/authors/ 2001.html • h t t p : / / w w w . s m u . e d u /~ n e w s in f o / releases/99318 C o m m u n ity o u tr e a c h • http://gulib.lausun.georgetow n.edu/ newsletter/marOO/food. htm C u ltu ral p e r f o r m a n c e s • h ttp ://w w w . library. ucla. edu/libraries/ college/nw sevnts/pow m usic/index. htm D ig itiz a tio n • h ttp :// coloradodigital. coalliance. org/ • http://w w w .abcd.harvard.edu/public/ m ultim edia/1998/program .htm l F u n d r a isin g • http://www.bfoh.edu/admir/devefopmenl/ library„construction/index.cfm • h ttp :// www.library.u p e n n .e d u /portal R e s id e n c e h a lls • h t t p :/ / w w w . d e p a u w .e d u /a d m in / stu dentaffairs/hou sing/Rlstaff .htm • h ttp ://w w w .lib .u m ich .ed u /lib h o m e/ UGL/services/llc/activities.html U n iv e r s ity p r e s s • http://w w w .ucdp.uc.edu http://www.lib.csufresno.edu/ calpoly.edu/authors/ http://gulib.lausun.georgetown.edu/ http://www.abcd.harvard.edu/public/ http://www.bfoh.edu/admir/devefopmenl/ http://www.library.upenn.edu/portal depauw.edu/admin/ http://www.lib.umich.edu/libhome/ http://www.ucdp.uc.edu C&RL News ■ June 2001 / 679 Find it. Faster. You just got a request for a list of grocery stores in a three-state area with more than 20 employees. You could search through dozens of reference sources to create that list. Or, you could call the Library Division of infi›USA. We offer the country’s most extensive databases of business and residential information. And, you choose the format you want: print, CD-ROM or via the Internet. Want more information? Call us today at 1-800-808-1113 or e-mail: library@infoUSA.com. Your search is over. 5711 S. 86th Circle • P.O. Box 27347 • Omaha, NE 68127 Phone: (402) 593-4523 • Fax: (402) 596-7688 • www.libraryUSA.com 23580 mailto:library@infoUSA.com http://www.libraryUSA.com C&RL News ■ June 2001 / 621 ETDs, she concluded that there is more a perception of a problem than actual evidence of a problem. The publishers panel Following Seamans’ presentation, the pub­ lishers panel pre sen ted publication p oli­ cies with particular regard to ETDs. Rep­ re se n ta tiv e s from E lsevier S cience an d Academic Press generated a lively discus­ sion am ong the audience of 30. Keith Jones (Elsevier) stated em phati­ cally that his com pany encourages its a u ­ thors to link their articles in Elsevier jour­ nals to their personal Web sites and a u ­ thorizes their departm ents to provide such links. Jones re p o rted that Elsevier u n d e r­ stands the im portance of getting new a u ­ thors, such as graduate students, to p u b ­ lish in Elsevier journals early in their ca­ reers because they are then likely to co n ­ tinue to publish there. He poin ted out that publishing in an Elsevier journal is an im­ portant source of validation for academ ics so that the su b seq u en t availability of those articles from o th er nonprofit and ed u c a­ tional sources is not a threat. The audience learn ed from Jo h n Elliott (Academic Press) that this publisher has a similarly liberal policy, w hich allows au­ thors to link their articles to their personal Web sites even though the authors assigned copyright to the publisher. Coincidentally, Elsevier Science may acquire Academic Press (i.e., H arcourt Brace) in the n ear fu­ ture. Elliott also p o in ted out that the p eer review that journal articles receive is not the sam e sort of review that ETDs get. Questions and comments from the audi­ ence included discussions of university press policies and a plea from BioMed Central to abandon overpriced academic journals for the new breed of online scholarly communications. Notes 1. Handouts from the symposium are avail­ able at http://library.caltech.edu/etd/. 2. S u rv ey re s u lts a re a v a ila b le at http://lum iere. lib.vt.edu/surveys/results/. ETDs not a deterrent to publication In a survey administered at the end of the ETD submission process, the majority of graduate student authors at Virginia Tech reported that the decision to limit access to their ETDs was based on advice from their faculty advisors. John Eaton, Virginia Tech Graduate School, surveyed graduate student alumni (in 1998 and 1999) about publishing ar­ ticles derived from their ETDs. He found that 100% of those w ho had successfully published did not have problems getting published because their theses or disser­ tations were online and readily available on the Internet. Therefore, in looking at the results of the Dalton and Seaman surveys in combi­ nation with Virginia Tech’s surveys of gradu­ ate student alumni, the ready availability of ETDs on the Internet does not deter the vast majority of publishers from publishing articles derived from graduate research al­ ready available on the Internet. ■ ( “Strategic . . continued fro m page 618) Let us all strive to be cosmopolitans as we look forward, envision new possibilities, and embrace a variety of mutually beneficial stra­ tegic partnerships on behalf of our libraries. Notes 1. Peter F. Dmcker, Management Challenges fo r the 21st Century (New York: Harper Busi­ ness, 1999), 183- 2. Hannelore B. Rader, “A New Academic Library Model: Partnerships for Learning and Teaching,” C&RL News 62, no. 4 (April 2001): 393-96. 3. Gail R. Gilbert, “Courting Athletics, Cre­ ating Partnerships,” Library Administration & Management 14, no. 1 (Winter 2000), 35-37. 4. Melba Jesudason, “Outreach to Student-Ath­ letes Through E-Mail Reference Service,” Refer­ ence Services Review 28, no. 3 (2000), 262-67. 5. Nancy Allen and Liz Bishoff, “Academic Library/Museum Collaboration: I’m OK, You’re OK,” Proceedings o f the ACRL 10th National Conference, March 15-18, 2001 (Chicago: ACRL, 2001), 59-69. 6. Rosabeth Moss Kanter, “World Class Lead­ ers” The Leader o f the Future (San Francisco: Jossey Bass, 1996), 91. ■ http://library.caltech.edu/etd/ http://lumiere lib.vt.edu/surveys/results/