Collaboration takes many different forms, but the definition of “collaboration” is to work with others to complete a task and achieve shared goals. For us in the DeWitt Wallace Library, collaborative efforts are a continuous thread throughout all of our library services. It includes the partnerships we strive to develop with faculty in order to prepare engaging instruction sessions on research strategies for library resources relevant to your courses. Collaboration includes developing strong service ethics in our student employees while also providing them with skills related to the college student learning goals. We collaborate closely with our partners in ITS for providing excellent service and support for faculty, students, and staff. Collaboration also involves working with other libraries to expand access to available resources for our faculty and student research needs. This form of collaboration is essential and requires developing and sustaining reciprocal borrowing arrangements. With the completion of the migration from our former CLICnet shared system to our new system, OCLC Worldshare Management System, we are now developing new methods for collaborating with the CLIC libraries as well as with new partners in the over 300 libraries that have selected OCLC WMS as their system for acquisitions, cataloging, circulation, and managing electronic resources, and the over 60,000 members of the OCLC cooperative. Since Macalester is no longer on a shared system with the CLIC libraries, we have worked diligently during the summer to implement new service procedures to ensure that faculty continue to have access to resources and materials from other libraries, delivered in the same timely manner that you are accustomed to. Last spring we implemented a second daily delivery from Minitex and early indications are that we often receive delivery of materials from Minitex more quickly than from some of the more local institutions. We are also exploring improved borrowing options with institutions that may be geographically located at a greater distance, but are connected via our Minitex network and provide options for rapid delivery of their materials. We will continue to monitor delivery patterns during the fall, but our service commitment is to ensure you obtain the materials you need in a timely manner. We hope you will continue to collaborate with us as we seek to accomplish the shared goal of connecting you to the resources you need. If at any time you feel you are not getting the service you are accustomed to, please contact me directly so I can address and respond to your concerns.
