The Joint Information Systems Committee and the Coalition for Networked Information will be offering a workshop "Working Together: A Planning Retreat for Directors of Library/Information/Computing Services" on 14 and 15 June 1997 at the University of Warwick, Coventry.
It will be held on the two days immediately prior to the main JISC/CNI/BLRIC/CAUSE/ CAUL international conference "Beyond the Beginning: The Global Digital Library" on 16 and 17 June at the Queen Elizabeth II Conference Centre, London.
The workshop will provide an opportunity for a small number of institutional teams of librarians and information technologists, or individuals from any institution, to develop techniques to increase the effectiveness of collaborative efforts and to begin a planning process for collaborative projects. This will be the first time that this workshop will be offered, and it is targeted to reach senior administrators of library/information/ computing services. You are invited to register for this workshop and we hope that you would have both something to gain and something to contribute by your attendance.
This workshop will be an intensive, participant-oriented event, using case studies and a variety of participative techniques. Participants will be asked to complete a form in advance of the workshop identifying their background and aspirations.
The workshop has been developed by Gerry Bernbom (visiting Programme Officer at CNI and University Data Administrator in the Office of Information Technology, Indiana University, USA), and Joan Day (Head of Department of Information and Library Management at the University of Northumbria at Newcastle and Director of the IMPEL II Project). They will serve as facilitators of this workshop with a further two UK facilitators.
The workshop aims to integrate efforts to support the overall information resources and services mission for the entire academic institution. By providing opportunities for senior administrators of libraries, information services and computing services in higher education institutions to work together in a common enterprise directed toward a shared future, the JISC hopes to advance progress in this area. Many institutions have institutional programmes in which teams of individuals from the library and computing centre are working collaboratively to develop campus information resources and/or deliver campus information services. Those institutions who do not have such collaborative relationships often would like to develop them.
Participants will:
Over the past ten years, the roles and responsibilities of both librarians and information technologists on university and college campuses have changed. These changes have many root causes, but much of it has occurred in response to technological innovations and new patterns of scholarly communication. Some of the changes have brought librarians and information technologists into closer contact, and in some cases, blurred the lines separating their areas of operation.
To best serve the needs of the institutions that employ them, these groups must work effectively together. Fortunately, they have both commonalities and differences from which to work. Because they work in the same changing and challenging environment, there is a unique opportunity to explore emerging user needs together to provide holistic responses. Their differences provide the fuel for the kind of creative and innovative approaches that develop when individuals and groups see problems from a new perspective. Each group brings skills, experience and knowledge that hold the promise of rich collaboration.
Successful models of effective working relationships already exist. This programme is designed to support and enhance the synergy of those already successful in working together and to provide assistance to those who continue to struggle with their differences.
Content by Hazel Gott of
UKOLN
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Page last revised on 09-Apr-1997