Lessons from a Joint-Use College/University Library |
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| Authors: | Timothy Allen Hommey |
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| Institution: | Director of Library Services-Columbus, Ivy Tech Community College, Columbus, IN, USA |
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| Abstract: | Community college libraries are deeply underrepresented in the professional literature and organizations of academic librarianship. As a result, the challenges and successes that take place in the community college world are largely invisible to others. This JLA column lifts the curtain to reveal the uniqueness of community college libraries as described by their most passionate advocates: the librarians who work there. Articles in this column pay tribute to the commitment and creativity of community college librarians by providing a platform where they can share their professional perspectives and stories. Want to write for this column? Interested authors are invited to submit articles to the editor at kimreed@cwidaho.cc.Joint-use libraries aim for the most effective use of resources in supporting the needs of multiple institutions, whether high schools, colleges, or universities. However, these streamlined organizations are challenging to design, complex to administer, and often suffer from staffing conflicts and territorial disputes. In this article, the author describes a successful model of a joint-use library, The University Library of Columbus, whose multilayered evolution has generated a multi-institutional library that serves students from a community college, a university, and a technical college. By describing the history and development of their model, as well as details about their agreements and functions, the author shares tips and provides guidance for those who may be developing future joint-use models. |
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| Keywords: | community colleges joint-use libraries memoranda of understanding |
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