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Purpose – This paper seeks to report on the successful collaboration in an academic learning commons environment, established collaboratively between the University of Guelph and Humber College, where library reference and writing center support services are integrated and therefore model student behaviour when writing academic papers. Design/methodology/approach – After examining previous collaborative efforts between libraries and writing centres, this paper focuses on the relationship between thinking and the writing process itself as the theoretical framework on which a successful collaboration between the University of Guelph-Humber Library Reference Services and Humber College's Writing Center exists. Statistical data relating to the increased usage levels of reference services, when made available in a writing centre environment, as well as library services satisfaction data are reported. Findings – Researching and writing anxiety is diminished when students are able to access both reference (researching) services and writing support services in the same location. The increased exchange and interface between reference service providers and writing tutors, while assisting students to write better academic papers, reflects the fact that thinking, researching and writing are interwoven and recursive processes that are further enhanced when supported by their physical collocation. Academic institutions should model and further facilitate the collocation and integration of the research and writing processes by reorganizing services and service delivery units to better reflect student behaviour. Research limitations/implications – When this paper was written, service level usage data that had been gathered fully supported the continued collaboration of the reference and writing centre services. However, further research needs to be conducted regarding the impact of this cross-functional, student support service on student success. Originality/value – This paper is of interest to academic leaders and service providers who are interested in furthering collaborations between students' service providers, primarily library reference staff and writing centre tutors, whose partnership naturally reflects the integrated and recursive research and writing processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]