Maxine Melling and Margaret Weaver, London, Facet, 2013, xx+198 pp, US$95.00 (paperback), ISBN 978-1-85604-858-3
Global economic forces, constant technological change and the growing demands of clients are requiring those who deliver services in libraries and higher education learning environments to innovate their leadership and operation to ensure survival. This collection of essays, edited by Maxine Melling and Margaret Weaver, provides a cohesive and compelling argument for the need to collaborate, not only within but beyond traditional boundaries, as a way of surviving and thriving in this context of uncertainty and challenge.
The essays in the book have been written by a range of professionals including those outside library and information services, as well as those who lead joint service teams and libraries that have converged to provide multiple services. In gathering perspectives from across the UK, USA, Canada and Australasia, the editors have compiled a book that identifies the culture and values necessary to work collaboratively, the leadership and staff skills required and the need to place the client at the centre of service delivery.
Chapter 1 is written by Rebecca Davies, a leading figure in higher education in the UK. She sets the scene for the rest of the book, arguing for the need to maximise collaboration at every level (individually, professionally and educationally), in order to address the open, fluid and connected environment in which libraries now operate. This connected environment, dominated by social media and open access, has led to a growing consumer culture, and changing student expectations, and leads Craig Gaskell to suggest, in Chapter 2, a radical restructure towards a student perspective.
Support from professional associations is discussed in Chapter 3 by Andrew West and Raegan Hiles, while Michael Ridley considers the cultures and values that underpin collaborative working in Chapter 4, using practical examples from Canadian experiences. Chapter 5 presents a different case study for collaboration, this time in the north of England, as Margaret Weaver discusses a strategic grouping of academic libraries. This chapter focuses on the creative thinking and change management approaches needed in order to reformulate ways of working across multiple libraries.
Sue Roberts and Rachel Esson give extensive treatment to the significance of leaders who are collaborative in their leadership style in Chapter 6, which is one of the key integrating chapters of the book. Technology is one of the great enablers of collaboration, and Graham Stone and Dave Pattern give an overview of library technology in Chapter 7, while Chapter 8 focuses on the library as a physical space to enable and facilitate learning, as Liz Jolly explores the diverse study requirements of students and the need for both traditional and flexible, dynamic learning spaces.
The emergence of super-converged services is investigated by Maxine Melling in Chapter 9, with themes such as the development of advanced generalist staff, the central place of the client and the need for collaborative leadership being drawn from across the essays. Chapter 10 focuses upon joint-use libraries, identifying collaboration across organisations as a way to make best use of limited resources, and using the example of the collaboration between San Jose State University and San Jose Public Library.
This title is both relevant and powerful. It is easy to read, grounded in real life practice and presents multiple approaches for those looking to creatively and collaboratively address the challenges of uncertainty and change in the library context.
© 2013, Kay Cantwell