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Creating workflows that involve the work of multiple departments within a large organization can be challenging, especially when the procedure itself is complex and involves a number of stakeholders. This paper describes and evaluates a collaborative project to develop an interdepartmental workflow for the digitization of unique library materials in a mid-sized academic library. The project includes an automated project management and materials tracking system. Project development involved three separate departments with different reporting channels. In order to navigate this difficulty and manage the large size of the project, a visual planning technique that included graphical representations of current and pro-posed workflows, as well as implementation timelines, was used. This visual planning technique allowed the project team to clearly organize their thoughts and plans and proved helpful in soliciting buy-in from stakeholders. The paper will outline the collaborative planning process, addressing the rewards and challenges of tackling such a project within a large organization, and present lessons learned for others attempting similar endeavors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

When two or more institutions share a license, how do they measure use and value? For over a decade, the Levy Library at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, the Sid and Ruth Lapidus Library at the New York University School of Medicine, and New York University Libraries at New York University have shared several publisher packages and journal title subscriptions. In this paper, we present our analysis of usage data to assess the value of some of these consortial arrangements in their totality and to each library. Based on this analysis, we were able to adjust how each institution contributes to consortial arrangements. The paper will discuss challenges in analyzing consortial arrangements based on usage data and offer suggestions for how consortia-based acquisitions can be an effective allocation of library funds and strengthen support for the library in its institution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Academic library consortia have traditionally focused on resource sharing and e-resource purchasing as core programs and value propositions for members. However, as academic libraries increasingly look beyond financial value and seek to demonstrate impact on institutional priorities and student outcomes, consortia must evolve to provide services that support those goals. This paper presents selected examples of innovative consortial programs that can have a significant impact on teaching, learning, and research at members' institutions as suggested models for other consortia that may be engaged in reviewing strategic priorities and programs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents important aspects and issues related to the merging of six regional library delivery services in a single statewide system that serves more than 550 libraries, that together circulate more than 15 million items annually throughout the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. The purpose of marrying the six distinct systems was to reduce redundancies and incorporate innovative features to improve library processing efficiency. Most libraries are members of one of nine separate shared integrated library sys-tems. The paper covers the background, objectives, benefits, issues, lessons learned, and a successful re-quest for proposal procurement process for this complex project. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper describes the cost-benefits and the return on investment of one consortium comprised of five separately administered libraries in the University of Colorado (CU) System. With a long history of collaboration, the libraries have developed an ideal cooperative arrangement for acquiring electronic content that is accessible across all campuses. The size and flexibility of this institution-based consortium allows it to be responsive and successful in collaborating across four campuses despite different sized budgets and unique local and institutional constraints. To demonstrate the value of jointly leveraging library budgets to university administrators, the authors conducted a consortium level cost-benefit analysis and describe the methodology used to quantify return on the university's investment. This paper addresses both qualitative and quantitative outcomes and underscores how consortial participation has become an essential way of doing business. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In 2014, eight academic libraries in the state of New York collaborated on a group patron driven acquisition (PDA) pilot program with Kanopy, a video streaming service for libraries. The institutions, despite vast differences in size and profile, each launched Kanopy's streaming solution on their campuses under a program where they would jointly contribute to and acquire films based on group usage. The pilot ran for seven months and led to some fascinating insights into the differences in demand for film across campuses, the possibility of PDA as a model for library acquisition, and the feasibility of a group approach to acquisition. This paper presents the background to, results of, and reflections on the pilot program from the three unique perspectives of the consortium, the vendor, and one of the libraries involved, providing a holistic view of the success of the pilot and the lessons learned. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The authors interviewed ten library consortia leaders and studied the communication tools used by a number of consortia. Library consortia employ a broad range of communication tools to share information with their libraries. Different methods are used for different purposes, but a hierarchy of utility emerged from our study. Certain communication vehicles anchored nearly every communication message, some provided secondary support, and others suited highly specialized needs. This paper reviews shared communication methods, highlights communication best practices, and shares unique communication ideas employed by library consortia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In an environment in which libraries increasingly need to demonstrate their value to faculty and administrators, providing evidence of the library's contribution to student learning through its instruction program is critical. However, building a culture of assessment can be a challenge, even if librarians recognize its importance. In order to lead change, coordinators of library instruction at institutions where librarians are also tenure-track faculty must build trust and collaboration, lead through influence, and garner support from administration for assessment initiatives. The purpose of this paper is to explore what it takes to build a culture of assessment in academic libraries where librarians are faculty through the High Performance Programming model of organizational change. The guidelines for building a culture of assessment will be exemplified by case studies at the authors' libraries where instruction coordinators are using collaboration to build a culture of assessment with their colleagues. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two Keystone Library Network of Pennsylvania academic libraries, Mansfield University of Pennsylvania and Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania, partnered to conduct a pilot project involving assistance from one library with cataloging of materials for the other. This article describes the steps involved in obtaining approvals, meeting legal, identifying appropriate materials and transporting them, establishing guidelines, and conducting email consultations as needed. Once the materials were cataloged and returned, assessment criteria were developed and agreed upon, assessment was conducted, and discussion was held regarding future similar projects. As a result, a cataloging business plan was developed and approved, and a new service launched. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A librarian from the Florida Gulf Coast University (FGCU) and the Library Communications Manager at Taylor & Francis Group partnered to launch a collaborative information literacy pilot program focusing on assisting FGCU students and faculty navigate and understand the scholarly publishing process. This article describes how the idea was created, as well as steps involved in developing the publishing toolkit to help FGCU patrons. An overview of the pilot program was presented during the 2015 Charleston Conference as a poster session. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Collaborative activities that reflect 'ethnicity as provenance' benefit from collaborative, interdependent relationships among archives, classroom, and community. Examples from Center for Colorado & the West at Auraria Library (University of Colorado Denver) and the Southern Colorado Ethnic Heritage and Diversity Archives and the Voices of Protest Oral History Project (Colorado State University-Pueblo) illustrate collection development practices that advance joint ownership of archival materials by the archives and the originating cultural population. Concluding reflections offer transferable principles for working collaboratively with cultural communities on creation, identification, interpretation, and preservation of photographs, videos, documents, oral histories and ephemeral material reflective of culture, achievements, conflict, and legacy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study focuses on consortia building among libraries in Africa, with special attention given to Nigeria. It covers the various forms of library consortia: formal and informal as well as cooperative interchanges, including partnerships for resource sharing. Affirming the aim of consortia building as strengthening libraries and library services, the study considers the problems and prospects that are associated with consortia building in Africa and proposes a way forward. It concludes with an affirmation of the need to embrace consortia building among libraries in Africa and an emphasis on the key role ICT (Information and Communication Technologies) plays in consortia development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Collaborative Librarianship has an impressive Advisory Board, none more so than the brilliant, original, and always challenging Stephen Abram. Abram has a long and distinguished career as illustrated by the biography below, but it isn't just his achievements that set Abram apart. He is a strong supporter of library cooperation and rethinking our profession. He is also fearlessness in confronting our sacred cows and hidebound thinking. At conferences, his audiences come away with Abram's clear voice echoing a sober but potentially bright future for libraries; and occasionally they leave angry, stirred up by his bold willingness to tackle controversial topics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The author discusses library solutions for operating library systems. She states that having strategic partnerships with non-library suppliers will help managing strategy for library solutions. She also mentions the library management systems of Massachusetts Library Systems( MLS) and Grand Rapid Public Library and discusses strategies including put-to-light management practice, radio frequency identification (RFID) solution, and ultra high frequency (RFID) solution.