Building Learning Bridges: Innovative Partnerships in TAFE
How do TAFE libraries manage to promote their services to delivery teams and forge solid and professional networks with the teaching staff? An initiative of North-West Library Services staff in TAFE Tasmania to address these issues has been the “Building Partnerships” program. This paper outlines the steps taken to implement this valuable and cost effective promotional program in TAFE libraries. It will highlight the planning process, the strategies used, the results achieved and how the program may evolve in the future.
This program had the support of all library staff (3 librarians and 5 technicians) from the beginning and arose from discussions about how to more effectively promote library services to teaching teams. It began with the idea of assigning a particular library staff member to a delivery team on their campus to become the central liaison point for any potential library services the delivery team needed. Roles were assigned taking into account the knowledge and experience of the library staff and guidelines for the program were then drafted to ensure a similar approach in information delivery would be taken by all staff.
An initial introduction was made from the Head Librarian to each of the delivery team leaders, explaining who the liaison staff member was and the objectives of the program. From here library staff took on the roles and negotiated appropriate times to meet with the teams. The benefits resulting from the Building Partnerships project has been far greater consultation between teams and libraries. This has improved efficiencies in resource selection, staff rostering, integration of information literacy programs into courses and overall use of library resources. Statistics compiled for the past year show a marked increase in the number of orientation and information literacy sessions conducted by library staff. There were also more audio/visual workshops and information sessions conducted for delivery teams.
Now in its third year this project continues to evolve as it meets the challenges of movements in library staffing, changes in teaching and learning methods and budget constraints. It has gained momentum and has proved to be a valuable promotional and networking tool for TAFE Libraries.