Faculty-Librarian Collaboration: Meeting the Information Technology Challenges of Distance Education

Abstract

Information technology and distance learning are growing dramatically in the new millennium. Given the multidisciplinary nature of public administration and the constant growth of electronic information, the value of forming faculty-librarian partnerships is amplified for distance education courses in public affairs. This article describes just such a partnership between a faculty member and a librarian in developing course-specific library research tutorials for online courses. It begins by identifying and summarizing a variety of online resources that are useful for public administration research and provides a general description of how librarians can provide support. This is followed by a discussion of the collaborative effort, including the decision points, the content of the modules, and the mechanics of online collaboration. To offer a complete picture of the collaboration process, the article concludes with the perceptions of a graduate student who completed the program, survey data from students taking the courses with the library tutorials, and the lessons learned from this experience at the University of Central Florida.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Mary Ann Feldheim

Mary Ann Feldheim is an assistant professor in the Department of Public Administration at the University of Central Florida, where she has been instrumental in developing the completely online Graduate Certificate in Nonprofit Management. Her research takes a normative focus, and she has published in Public Integrity, Public Voices, Journal of Health and Human Services Administration, Journal of Volunteer Administration, International Journal of Public Administration, and M@n@gement.

Allison Ondrasik King

Allison Ondrasik King, author of the award-winning reference book, Data Map: Index of Published Tables of Statistical Data, has been a reference librarian at the University of Central Florida’s Cocoa campus since 1999. She has more than ten years of academic library experience and fifteen years’ experience as a government contractor. King received her M.L.S. degree from the University of Maryland and her B.A. degree in political science from Western Maryland College (now McDaniel College).

Suzanne Sherman

Suzanne Sherman received her undergraduate degree in political science from Florida International University in Miami, Florida. At the University of Central Florida, she earned a master’s degree in public administration and graduate certification in nonprofit management. Currently, she is employed by the Brevard County (FL) Sheriff’s Office in the area of grants and contract management.