Creating a Process for Successful Collaboration
CTLC: Cross Timbers Library Collaborative (CTLC) Conference July 22, 2016
Conference site https://www.ct-lc.org/Events/2016-Conference
6. External partners may have
• Expectations that are higher than possible
• Expectations that technology does not allow
• Expectations that do not coincide with strategic priorities
• Expectations that are unfair
7. Librarians tend to have
• Inclinations toward saying “Yes”
• Inclinations toward gold plating
• Inclinations toward not expecting shared credit
• Inclinations toward providing seamless (invisible)
service
9. What is an Memorandum of
Understanding (MOU)?
• “No matter their length or complexity, MOUs
specify mutually-accepted expectations between
two or more people or organizations as they
labor together toward a common objective.”
• “…generally they're not legally binding, in part because neither
party wants to deal with the ramifications of a binding
agreement, and they don't involve the exchange of money.”
• “MOUs are less formal than contracts, … but they are more
formal than handshake agreements…. All sorts of entities use
MOUs to create guidelines for each party as they contribute their
efforts and resources toward important projects. But ultimately,
the reason that parties opt for MOUs is because they are simpler
and more flexible than contracts.”
Nathan Chandler "How a Memorandum of Understanding Works" 9 May 2011. HowStuffWorks.com.
<http://people.howstuffworks.com/memorandum-of-understanding.htm> 21 July 2016
10. Workbook Contents
• Introduction
MOU Documents
• Workflow & Instructions
• General Template & Instructions
• Estimate of Institutional Support & Instructions
MOUs for Standardized Projects
• Systematic Reviews
• Open Access eJournal Hosting & Publishing
14. Estimate of Institutional Support
Name Job
Title
Expertise Hours Inst.
Rate
Market
Rate
Inst.
Total
Market
Total
Total
Description of
Hardware/Software
Institution
Cost
Market
Cost
Institution
Total
Market
Total
Total
15. Workbook Contents
• Introduction
MOU Documents
• Workflow & Instructions
• General Template & Instructions
• Estimate of Institutional Support & Instructions
MOUs for Standardized Projects
• Systematic Reviews
• Open Access eJournal Hosting & Publishing
Rafia: You agree on blueprint before you commit resources, so you both know you are building a ranch house, and one partner is not expecting a mansion, while you think you are making a birdhouse. / Make service visible, turn it into collaboration: /Make the amount of work a project will take visible before it is begun /Accidental Commitments/ Positive Experiences b/c of MOU use./ Clarity of roles, process, timelines, and expected outcomes for all parties
Service:
http://literaturegeek.com/2016/02/28/DHjobtalk/ http://acrl.ala.org/dh/2013/06/19/in-service-a-further-provocation-on-digital-humanities-research-in-libraries/
Whole issue: is everyone has different expectations, so this whole process is about making sure all partners are on the same page
For a long time libraries had established workflows AND liaisons tended to work alone, but now so many changes, and doing many types of projects you had not done before (so hard to judge how long they will take )
Rafia: NOTE Specific examples.
1. 10 year project timeline want to do in 1 year.
2. Omeka (web vs. server install. 500 mb vs. Server space)
3. Collection vs. Project area focus/Scope
4. Timeline
Rafia
During and after implementation: Attribution
Publication
Conference
presentation
Grant application
Funding allocation
Disruption
Overview
Each template that you might want to use has been added as a word document so you can pull it out to edit and make changes.
Overview
Each template that you might want to use has been added as a word document so you can pull it out to edit and make changes.
Phase I - Library stakeholders: Talk to their supervisor. Consulted b/c long term plans of that department or the library
Phase II – Timelines/ Software Needs
Phase III - No major substantive change, getting final approval/sign off
Phase IV: No work started before now, documents in one place can become a template for your own institution
Rafia
Talk briefly about how we have covered much of the workbook and that as you continue with certain projects, you may developed MOU templates for these as we have with systematic reviews and open access journal hosting and publishing