Librarian-academic collaboration: the role of

relationship management

Dr MN WiggillSchool of Communication Studies

North-West University (Potchefstroom Campus)

INTRODUCTION

• Context

– Librarian-academic collaboration

– Strategic communication and relationship management

• Research methodology

• Results

• Recommendations

LIBRARIAN-ACADEMIC COLLABORATION

• Role of academic libraries - assist university in obtaining main goals - research & teaching of undergraduate and graduate students

• Provides access to information & information services• Information age – must be information literate• Academic library – “learning centre”• Academic librarians - active key educators • Information literacy - vital to students’ academic success, therefore

librarian-academic collaboration vital• What is librarian-academic collaboration?

– In this collaborative effort, the librarian acts as expert, scaffolding the faculty member’s skills in technology; the faculty member as an expert, scaffolding the librarian’s knowledge of research and teaching pedagogy; and the faculty member and librarian (as peers) collaborating to scaffold students’ research methods, knowledge and skills (Bhavnagri & Bielat, 2005:122)

LIBRARIAN-ACADEMIC COLLABORATION - ADVANTAGES

• Academics - understand scope of library’s support for teaching and research

• Librarians - familiar with course work - assist students more effectively• Academics - design assignments taking the library’s available resources into

account• Academics - more reasonable expectations of students’ ability to do

research & use information sources • Information literacy training - part of formal academic courses (librarians -

implement assessment procedures & act on results) • Academics, who feel that the library understand their needs and who are

knowledgeable about the library and its services - encourage students to make use of the library

• Students - appreciate libraries & ensures long-term use of libraries • Students - understand research process better - improved pass rates• Independent library research - emphasised as a valuable, life-long learning

skill

• Library irrelevant - availability of Internet as “easy” way to find information• Librarians - required to provide information literacy training

– academics not always required to cooperate with librarians• Librarians feel unprepared for instructional roles • Parent instititutions of libraries – little/no acknowledgement of role of information

literacy in strategic statements • General ignorance - importance of information literacy; role & proficiency of

librarians in conveying these skills • Negative corporate image – hampers facilitating librarian-academic collaboration • Academics - mostly ignorant of role of library

– Academics - not always in favour of collaborative program planning and teaching involving professional library staff - especially due to time constraints

• Unequal balance of power - provision of in-class time for information literacy -“gift” from the academic & librarians “dependent” on academics

• Librarians – don’t understand nature of academic work & needs of academics • Unsuccessful llibrary advocacy – one-way communication

LIBRARIAN-ACADEMIC COLLABORATION – REASONS FOR NO/STRAINED COLLABORATION

STRATEGIC COMMUNICATION MANAGEMENT

• Strategic communication management – engage with stakeholders to create mutual understanding– Outcome – strong, mutually beneficial relationships

• Communication strategy - aligned to organisation’s vision, mission & goals - contribute to success & effectiveness

• Organisation’s reason for being - reflected in its vision, mission and goals - reflected in its communication strategy

• All communication – reflect reason for being - public legitimacy & social trust

• Libraries - continuously engage with stakeholders– Two-way communication - obtain mutual understanding of each others’

goals and needs – Mutual understanding - strong relationships & more effective librarian-

academic collaboration

RELATIONSHIP MANAGEMENT

Outcomes of strong relationships:– Trust: integrity, dependability, competence– Control mutuality– Commitment– Level of relationship satisfaction

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

• Qualitative approach• Semi-structured interviews

– 4 academic libraries • Ferdinand Postma Library, North-West University – Director,

Information Librarians• Leeds Metropolitan University Library, England – Information

Librarian• Campusbibliotheek Arenberg, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven,

Belgium - Director• Library of the University of Amsterdam, Netherlands - Director

– Aim - obtain a better understanding of how academic libraries communicate to obtain librarian-academic collaboration

AIMS OF INTERVIEWS

• Aims of the interviews: – determine the nature of the libraries’ communication

strategy; – determine whether the interviewed libraries’

communication is founded in the university as well as the library’s vision, mission and goals, reflecting its reason for being; and

– determine how the librarians communicate with academics to foster librarian-academic collaboration

• No communication strategy• No formally planned communication

programmes, campaigns or plans• No account of communication needs of strategic

stakeholders

COMMUNICATION STRATEGY

STRATEGY-DRIVEN COMMUNICATION – “reason for being”

• Intuitively strategic – library personnel’s job descriptions – 2 Directors

• 2 Information Librarians studied university & library’s vision, mission & goals – plan communication & work accordingly

• 1 Information Librarian – worked long enough, does not need vision, mission & goals

• Other Information Librarians – agreed - guide communication & provide grounds - persuasion regarding the important educational role of the library

COMMUNICATION TO ENHANCE LIBRARIAN-ACADEMIC COLLABORATION

• Directors:– No difficulties in conveying the libraries’ reason for being and its supporting

educational role to senior university stakeholders– Some in academic community – ignorant of library’s role

• Information Librarians– Librarian-academic collaboration - difficult - many academics do not perceive

librarians & services as valuable; no time to spend on library awareness campaigns– Leeds Metropolitan University - “How” shift to “why” - librarian-academic collaboration

based on library’s reason for being– Campusbibliotheek Arenberg - service delivery changed from “Just in time” to “Just

for you” – Engage in dialogue – NB to ascertain academics’ needs

• Building strong personal relationships - Information Librarians & academics mutually acknowledge and support each other’s role

– Coinciding information literacy training with assignments – better results• Some librarians – do not communicate positive outcomes strongly enough

– Academics do not convey information to students– Some feel that it is not librarians’ role to promote, market or communicate about

library’s services and products, or to have an educational role - no training

RECOMMENDATIONS

• Communication and relationship management strategy based on library’s vision, mission and strategic goals – Focus on library’s reason for being – legitimacy

– No need for library advocacy – academic community would understand library’s role

– Improved corporate image

– Students trust librarians & library information sources

– Students more willing to attend training

• Engage in two-way communication (dialogue)– Understanding of academics’ needs & constraints

• Attending departmental meetings, introducing yourself & library services to newly appointed faculty

• Personal appointments – determine personal needs & constraints – sometimes basic knowledge gaps

• Personalise service & products for each academic - would feel valued by the library – show interest in academics’ research areas – eg recommend relevant/new databases– Ask questions, feedback on appropriateness of information/services provided

• Focus communication on how library is adding value to academics’ & students’ educational experience

• Provide excellent service - build and maintain strong relationships to ensure effective collaboration – Academics need to trust that the librarian are so committed that the best possible

research and service would be provided

PRACTICAL RECOMMENDATIONS

CONCLUSION• Compile communication &

relationship management strategy• Focus on reason for being• Build strong relationships with

academics – trust & commitment foundation

• Result – effective librarian-academic collaboration

THANK YOU