Collaboration in Libraries and Learning Environments

Citation

Weerasinghe, S. (2013), "Collaboration in Libraries and Learning Environments", Library Management, Vol. 34 No. 6/7, pp. 554-558. https://doi.org/10.1108/LM-06-2013-0055

One thing leads to another, consistently and connectedly from the first chapter to the final, the tenth chapter of this book, with contributions from authors who are key professionals representing their specialist areas.

Attention is drawn to the changing environment and to those engaged in support services in higher education and the library and information field They are faced with many challenges in an unprecedented changing environment posing financial and fiscal policy issues. In the introductory chapter it is highlighted that different approaches are required for such support services and that there is a need for planning shared services and collaboration. Collaboration is the key word in this book. It is also stated that the concerned public institutions are responding strategically to this challenge while developing new ways of working with others in order to provide value for money

It is emphatic about the evolving technologies being enabling tools for the paradigm shifts in the delivery of services in Higher Education (HE) and Library and Information Services (LIS). The contributions of articles from authors from UK, USA, Canada and Australia makes the readers aware of technological application needed in support services and they present ways of approaching it differently through collaboration. All contributors are professional experts in their own fields of study.

The book aims to bring in the idea that it is necessary to start working shedding out the stereotypical systems. Authors are from both the LIS sector and outside that sector who discusses issues pertaining to the problem of facing issues in an austere environment. They prompt that should be done in a clear and a broader perspective. Institutions face uncertain times, effected by financial constraints and external shocks calling for cautious responsible actions by innovators of new systems. On the other hand the arguments are that “options available might be either to become insular, emphasising specialist skills and communities or to broaden one's mission and vision recognizing that collaboration can enrich services by introducing new ways of doing things creating possibilities through economies of scale and through purposefully subjecting plans, thoughts and processes to partnership working”. In this context the collection of articles begin by analyzing the changing higher education scenario affected by a rapidly changing and uncertain times, planning effective services, and goes on to the student concerns followed by the importance of professional association landscape in collaboration. The discussion moves to culture values and change, through the observations from consortia in Canada. The importance of managing the uncertain and complex environment due to the changing external environment by collaboration is highlighted before discussing influential skills and the leaders of the future. Aptly the next key topic is the role of technology in collaboration plus the shared data in extending the library value. The subject of space in the context of an ‘edgeless environment is given due consideration. The lucid discussion goes on to collaborative services through super convergence and finally emphasizing on joint‐use libraries and transformational change.

Rebecca Davies, a senior personality in the UK HE and well experienced in LIS, stresses at the outset in the first chapter that new technological tools and social media that has brought about the major shifts towards an “edgeless environment” are changing the professionals’ relationship with their customers; the students. Evolving technology not only convinces us that it is necessary to turn to new service delivery channels and applications, it also shows us that we are in new terrain with an edgeless environment that was earlier talked of as “boundless” environment in a globalised reality. She presents her idea of what a support service is be it a library or an academic institution, in the modern era and how it will change further. So she reasons out why it is necessary and how to be prepared for the future, stating collaboration is the key. It is a main strategy against the rapidly changing external forces, evolving technology, demanding customers, uncertainties and complexities. This chapter lays the base for the rest of the discussions leading to realization of the complications ahead and the need to work through collaboration and convergence which are major forces in the edgeless environment.

The author, questions, argues showing examples from complex issues and predicts and forward solutions that helps other professionals to be future ready. She points out that it is for knowledge exchange and as such it is necessary to work both within the profession and outside such institutional boundaries. We are part of the multi services teams and therefore it is necessary to work with other sectors, departments in the universities and information service providers.

In such a context, the idea is delivering value to the students either by the institution of HE or by the LIS. Then it is necessary that students be the main focus of these services and deliver them in the student perspective or consider their points of views, rather than pushing what it is thought useful by the service providers. Hence Craig Gaskell, also senior professional in the HE sector and a lecturer in information technology argues in the 2nd chapter that the main focus on internal structures can be shifted giving way to student needs and their effective fulfillment. Here he takes into consideration, the value addition of convergence of services to the student experience that gathers momentum in their pursuit of knowledge and studies. On the other hand Gaskell approaches the challenges in this arena where there looms growing student expectations, amidst the national debate on fees in UK and its effects on this current theme. A case study example of the major basic change at the Scarborough and its impact in later years is presented to drive this point home. The author cites a 2008 study to show that services must be provided at the right point in an organization, and the challenges in doing so in the universities. After setting the Scarborough context, the article then emphasize on the motivation to change being the students' voice, needing to change from a compact mode as the student diversity factor became more and more obvious. There is a proportionate section on the review process of the Scarborough project..

It is necessary to have professional guidance and support in effecting the above plans, and in the third chapter, authors, Andrew West and Raegan Hiles both from the HE environment discuss the role played by professional associations and their landscape in the HE and stresses that those have speedily grown in the last two decades and professional networking. The authors specify the relevance of the associations in providing leadership to collaboration and going beyond traditional services. On the other hand the authors present the view that the associations too are now working in partnership in this sphere of activity. Giving more weight to this concern two case studies are presented.

Further on this theme, Michael Ridely an eminent LIS professional having worked in the HE institutions expresses in the fourth chapter that Culture and values are influencing factors in the change environment for driving collaboration. Adversity is a main cause, argues Ridely in pushing for collaboration. Three practical examples of collaborative ventures in Canada are provided to base the author's arguments and its successful outcome. It is said that collaborative initiatives must be successful and sustainable, thus mutual cooperation is necessary. Ridely is emphatic about organizational transformation being brought about by adversity and budget constraints together with technological changes among other changes. These in effect pose problems of rising resource prices, new technological applications and the need to network for resource cooperation. Library professionals have understood the strength and the power of working together in acquisitions and service delivery and have had to learn fitting into innovative culture professionally.

Another top LIS professional, Magaret Weaver describes the collaboration through the practical example of a creation of a collaborative network of academic libraries in the UK, in order to examine managing complex change through this key contemporary practice. In chapter 5 Weaver shares her knowledge through an example of an attempt to achieve complex change through strategic grouping of UK academic libraries. According to the author it is the sustainability of this achievement. The challenges of academic libraries are given to show the effect of unprecedented change making professional librarians concentrate on strategic library functions to deliver effective services. The author cites, Jubb's summed up key challenges of academic libraries written in 2010 where collaborative efforts are imperative in the provision of LIS services.

How should the initiatives to manage such change and work along the transformational processes be taken and what level? Once again Senior LIS professionals attempt to answer this area in chapter 6. Sue Roberts and Rachel Esson talks of the leadership skills necessary for collaboration, its future needs and challenges in the adversity and uncertain world and assess how library professionals should be geared towards providing a strategic change to achieve this concern. Hence the article coverage is on leadership issues in general, then in HE, leadership skills and behavior and in diverse organizations as well as at all levels, authentic leadership and models for collaboration. A case study is presented to further establish the premise of the necessity of leadership and very importantly ends up discerning leadership development ideas based on a model created by Barret in 2010.

A catchy title in chapter 7 brings us to the role of technology in making collaboration a reality. Authors, Graham Stone and Dave Pattern, both LIS professionals in the HE sector and experts in IT shows the necessity for library personnel to be equipped with technological tools in their move towards collaboration. The authors present a case study to show how technology has made way for libraries in any sector to work in cooperation and its success story.

Liz Jolly in chapter 8 is addressing the space factor that has effected in boundary changes. A LIS professional with much experience in the educational background, the author describes the space in academic libraries focusing on physical library building. However the article considers developments in different collaborative approaches in improving library spaces. It starts by citing a definition of the academic library purpose by Brophy (2005) stating that “academic libraries are here to enable and enhance learning in all its forms … ” The developments are considered in the direction of HE, learning, teaching and technology, and shows examples of collaborative projects and completes by evaluating those in terms of learning enhancement. The author points out the changing relationships between libraries and their parent organizations, students and the services. Liz presents the “library design continuum” in consideration of diverse student requirements for studies in traditional places such as quiet place, and to more dynamic spaces needed for collaborative work in a learning culture.

If the focus is on collaboration then it is imperative that different services are also brought together to produce multiple diverse service teams. So Maxine Melling in chapter 9 discusses in depth the convergence of super teams when brought together to share and exchange their services for improved and quality support services. The author is a very strong LIS professional served in a top position in a higher education background, who had been involved in student administration, finance, library and archives and computing. Maxine refers to the background to the development of such services, the drivers for such a strategic move and the challenges and opportunities in providing them and their future potential.

In the final Chapter Ruth Kifer a top university library professional, describes the significance of joint‐use libraries over the past decade. Worldwide those have emerged for the benefit of the library user communities through resource cooperation in an environment of limited resources due to limited revenues. This chapter in a way consolidates the entire discussion on the thematic issue.

A very important subject is broached and discussed in many angles in this book, and thus becomes invaluable to all those engaged in information practices and support services and the users of such services, especially in the higher educational institutions. It is specifically important to those availing professional services, with a penchant for improvement considering an ever changing future. However there is no one model developed for effective collaboration, for the stakeholders to base on and follow. The book is a launch for discussion on earlier models, examples, experiences and options regarding an important feature in the knowledge sharing and service delivery function. The benefits of collaboration are stated and the urgent necessity of collaboration is shown very explicitly. All practical work and case examples are brought together to allow the readers to find out more on this area and to strengthen the work of LIS services.