a theoretical and practical consideration of the … and...making collaboration work a theoretical...

Making Collaboration WorkA Theoretical and Practical Consideration of the Requirements for Library Collaborations to be

Successful and Sustained

Richard Parsons (Dundee & SHEDL)Tracey Stanley (Cardiff & WHELF LMS)

(https://uod.box.com/v/sconulcollaboration)Outline:Background presentationConsideration of WHELF LMS exampleConsideration of SHEDL journal procurement exampleCollaboration:

‐ Improvements? ‐ Opportunities? ‐ Implementation?

Library Role in Managing Learning Resources

CreateExperiment

Evaluate / Analyse

Apply / Skills

Understanding

Knowledge

Motivation to Learn Ability to Learn

Time

Place

Structure

Style

Extrinsic

- Happiness

- Wellbeing

- Financial

Intrinsic

- Interest

- Challenge

- Social, peers

- Role models

Assessments, Achievements,

& Feedback

Environment – Study facilities, studios, labs, gyms, lecture rooms, tutorial rooms, personal & collaborative space

Access & discovery – Lendable, personal purchase, institutional licence, open, search, organise, reference

Formats & platforms – Text, diagrams, maps, artefacts, video, audio, multimedia, VR, simulations, interactive, face to face

Synthesised content – Collated information, chapters, articles, websites, presentations, forums, blogs, textbooks, films, programmes, etc

Information – Individual facts & linkages, elements, items, ideas, evidence, data, components, characteristicsRichard Parsons, University of Dundee

Learning Outcomes

Env

ironm

ent

Acc

ess

& d

isco

very

Form

ats

& p

latfo

rms

Syn

thes

ised

con

tent

(& q

ualit

y)

Info

rmat

ion

(& q

ualit

y)

A

A

A

Publication


CreateExperiment

Evaluate / Analyse

Apply / Skills

Understanding

Knowledge


Time

Place

Structure

Style

Extrinsic

- Happiness

- Wellbeing

- Financial

Intrinsic

- Interest

- Challenge

- Social, peers

- Role models


& Feedback






Learning Outcomes

Env

ironm

ent

Acc

ess

& d

isco

very

Form

ats

& p

latfo

rms

Syn

thes

ised

con

tent

(& q

ualit

y)

Info

rmat

ion

(& q

ualit

y)

A

A

A

Publication

Library (collaboration)

activities

Richard Parsons, University of Dundee

Coverage GeneralSpecific

Qua

lity

Unv

erifi

edTr

uste

d

Internet

Wiki‐pedia

OA Text‐books

Repositories

OA mono‐graphs

Blogs

Monographs Encyclo‐paedias

Learning packages

Textbooks

Newspapers

Subscription journals

OA journals

Public data

Subscrvideo

Unidata

Public forums

Information/Content Range and Quality

eBook aggregators

You Tube

Comm‐mercialdata

Review journals

Database + J aggregators

Cost

Amount of information

Why Collaborate?

Worthwhile to collaborate to solve the difficult issues

Gain collective intelligence, experience, approaches, passions

Pace of change is such that approaches like collaboration allow us to increase learning and achievement

Collaboration explores the unknown. It offers rewarding, social and interesting activities.

What to collaborate on?

Collaborations may be local through to national and international

Collaborations may be effective for new initiatives such as managing approaches to open access and research data management

Recent examples include procurement, LMS implementation, out-of-hours enquiry, OA publishing

An opportunity to explore further potential collaborations later in the interactive workshop

Institutional groupingNationalLocal

Flex

ibili

tyH

igh

Low

SCONUL Access Scheme

Shared Service Model for Effective Collaboration

Com

plex

ityH

igh

Low

Sim

ilarit

y sh

arin

g va

lue

eBook package licensing

EDUROAM WiFi

LMS shared system

Regional

NESLiJournal licensing

Individual book

provision

SHEDL commitment J licensing

Out of Hours Enquiry

Study environment provision

Shared local book stores

Bench‐marking

Communities of practice

Specialist equipment shares

Procurement process

Academic Foundations of Collaboration

Collaborative Advantage – A business efficiency modelHuxman, Vangen & Hibbert

Networks of teams – An HR productivity modelOrganisational Design - The Rise of Teams (DeLoitte 2016)

Collaboration to maintain the pace of changeThe DNA of Collaboration, Chris Jones 2012.

Business benefits of collaboration (e.g. Lynda.com courses)

Recognising the Sweet-Spot for Collaboration

CloudExpo Blog, 2016

How to Collaborate – A SCONUL Toolkit

The toolkit presents a checklist of likely useful components for a successful and sustainable collaboration.

There are currently 37 elements under 5 sections:‐ Strategic‐ Design & Planning‐ Operational‐ Sustainability‐ Closure

We can quickly discuss a few, and propose to show a calibration against recent WHELF and SHEDL activities

A SCONUL Collaboration Toolkit

Strategic / Comments

1Recognise that we collaborate to

solve difficult issues

2 Goal congruence and diversity

3 Business value for all members

4Understand the requirement for

trust and reinforcing trust

5Engage and positively utilise

institutional and individual diversity

6 Communications plan and actions

7 Source an adequate budget

8

Design & Planning / Comments

1Establish a purpose and the timeline

2

Acknowledge collaboration as an essential and sophisticated learning opportunity

3Distributed leadership

4

Team leadership to utilise task experts – experience, knowledge, passion and emotions

5Hold face to face meetings earlier in establishing a successful collaboration.

6Involve every stakeholder richly early in the project

7

Use a variety of documentation to support all participants – recognising different learning and working styles –text, diagrams, video etc.

8Recognise strategic and operational requirements can conflict

9Recognise complexity in the service

10Avoid - Waiting to see complete clarity before acting

11Avoid - Seeking complete resolution and certainty

12Avoid - Facing misunderstanding and misattribution

13


Operational / Comments

1Regular fully inclusive meetings scheduled and communicated. Milestones.

2Accept team working, collaboration is a team sport

3Use rich virtual meeting environments to enhance engagement

4

Establish a shared, secure and accessible online environment for file exchange and record keeping

5

Ensure representation for every participant (may be one person representaing more than one institution)

6Sustain trust and familiarity

7Ensure the social gains, fun where possible and genuine satisfaction

8


Sustainability / Comments

1Measure and publicise the benefits

2Tolerance from all members

3Tolerate moderate gains and losses

4Engage (not fight) changes in compliance and governance

5Do not allow the collaboration to get overly complex

6Manage the nuts and bolts – H&S, succession, security, risk, ownership

7Include meaningful review at regular intervals

8Celebrate success and the learning opportunity

9


Closure / Comments

1Accept collaborations may have a lifecycle

2Include mechanisms to continue beyond the collaboration

3Be open and honest about changes in the investment/return equation

4


CreateExperiment

Evaluate / Analyse

Apply / Skills

Understanding

Knowledge


Time

Place

Structure

Style

Extrinsic

- Happiness

- Wellbeing

- Financial

Intrinsic

- Interest

- Challenge

- Social, peers

- Role models


& Feedback






Learning Outcomes

Env

ironm

ent

Acc

ess

& d

isco

very

Form

ats

& p

latfo

rms

Syn

thes

ised

con

tent

(& q

ualit

y)

Info

rmat

ion

(& q

ualit

y)

A

A

A

Publication

SHEDL Observations on the Collaboration Toolkit

Strategic / Comments

1Recognise that we collaborate to

solve difficult issues

2 Goal congruence and diversity

3 Business value for all members Work hard to ensure this

4Understand the requirement for

trust and reinforcing trust We have trust, but it may be fragile

5Engage and positively utilise

institutional and individual diversity

6 Communications plan and actions

7 Source an adequate budget SCURL remains very supportive, eg the recent SHEDL administrator post

8

Design & Planning / Comments

1Establish a purpose and the timeline

2Acknowledge collaboration as an essential and sophisticated learning opportunity

Most are yet to formally recognise that collaboration enhances the skills of the staff involved in the collaboration

3Distributed leadership This is a key to SHEDL success

4Team leadership to utilise task experts –experience, knowledge, passion and emotions

SHEDL worked very well due to the different personalities involved

5Hold face to face meetings earlier in establishing a successful collaboration.

6Involve every stakeholder richly early in the project

7

Use a variety of documentation to support all participants – recognising different learning and working styles – text, diagrams, video etc.

Still experimenting in this domain. Is useful for continuing to ensure something new and engaging

8Recognise strategic and operational requirements can conflict

9Recognise complexity in the service

10Avoid - Waiting to see complete clarity before acting

11Avoid - Seeking complete resolution and certainty

12Avoid - Facing misunderstanding and misattribution This does happen, but is tolerated13


Operational / Comments

1Regular fully inclusive meetings scheduled and communicated. Milestones.

2Accept team working, collaboration is a team sport Observed that partnerships within the team

work well (network of teams)

3Use rich virtual meeting environments to enhance engagement Continuing to experiment

4

Establish a shared, secure and accessible online environment for file exchange and record keeping Have this (Box) and continue to experiment.

Recently used Bb Collaborate

5

Ensure representation for every participant (may be one person representaing more than one institution) Yes

6Sustain trust and familiarity

7Ensure the social gains, fun where possible and genuine satisfaction A little enjoyment is permissible

8


Sustainability / Comments

1Measure and publicise the benefits Could do more of this

2Tolerance from all members

3Tolerate moderate gains and losses Recently lost Springer to wider collab.

4Engage (not fight) changes in compliance and governance

5Do not allow the collaboration to get overly complex Is a demanding topic

6Manage the nuts and bolts – H&S, succession, security, risk, ownership Can be challenging, and may be the

biggest threat

7Include meaningful review at regular intervals

8Celebrate success and the learning opportunity Based on this work, could recognise more

9


Closure / Comments

1Accept collaborations may have a lifecycle

2Include mechanisms to continue beyond the collaboration SHEDL is key to other Scottish collabs.

3Be open and honest about changes in the investment/return equation A little more work required here

4

Collaborative Contribution

1. Are there significant improvements we could make to the SCONUL Collaboration Toolkit? (and what are they)

2. In the Library, Research and Learning Services domain, what are potential areas for worthwhile collaboration?

3. Feedback on the implementation and evaluation mechanisms for the Collaboration Toolkit will be appreciated.

https://uod.box.com/v/sconulcollaboration

SCONUL Conference – Making Collaboration Work

Tracey StanleyDeputy University Librarian, Cardiff University

Dirprwy Llyfrgellydd y Brifysgol a'r Cyfarwyddwr Cynorthwyol, Gwasanaeth Llyfrgell y Brifysgol

The WHELF Scenario

• Is there a business case for a Shared Library Management System across all HE institutions in Wales?

• Initial feasibility study funded by MALD – 2011• Full business case funded by Jisc – 2012• WHELF Steering Group then agreed to jointly fund a Programme Manager to take the proposal forward

Strategic alignment

• Closely integrated with WHELF action plan:• Showcasing knowledge resources and services across Wales (and beyond)

• Develop a platform for sharing resources• Potential for cross‐sectoral partnership

• Alignment to Welsh Government Libraries Inspire strategy:

• Sustainable models of service delivery• Linked to Delivering a Digital Wales strategy and Simpson Report

Trust

• High levels of trust and co‐operative arrangements based on trust already prevalent within WHELF:

• Cardiff University provided LMS for NHS Wales Libraries and Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama

• Bangor University provided LMS for Glyndwr University

• Collaborative work on shared e‐resource deals• Some reciprocal borrowing arrangements already in place

• Close engagement with IT – via HEWIT at strategic level, and locally

• Openness and willingness to share with wider community

Leadership and team working

• Developed a strong ethos of team leadership:• Built up through early face‐to‐face workshops to develop vision and define requirements

• Very intensive but worthwhile• Location also played a part in developing team working and enabling team to focus on strategic rather than operational

• Used domain experts to input into their specialist areas and build functional requirements

• Functional leads and back‐ups• Built on existing experience and knowledge across the consortium

• Close involvement of Procurement departments.

Communication

• Regular and structured comms:• Project board via video conference• Steering Group met as part of WHELF regular meetings• Blog posts• Mini‐meets• Face to face for specific tasks (lessons learned)

Virtual environments

• Used various tools throughout the process:• Google Docs for collaborative authoring and document storage

• Basecamp for collaboration with Ex Libris• Currently using Yammer as a discussion environment• Extensive use of video conferencing and Skype due to geographical challenges

Sustainability and benefits

• Benefits at the heart of the initiative• Measuring the benefits using an external consultancy arrangement (funded via Jisc)

• Value of using a neutral third party to capture and measure these

• Relates back to original business case(s) and benefits outlined in those

a theoretical and practical consideration of the … and...making collaboration work a theoretical...

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