What helps library consortia turn shared goals into action? What supports effective collaboration, and what gets in the way?
Join BC ELN for a three-part virtual Salon Series exploring what shapes capacity in library consortia. Drawing on recent research with Canadian consortia staff, the series will provide space to share findings, exchange experiences, and discuss how consortia can strengthen their ability to achieve shared goals.
Series Dates:
Who Should Attend:
This series is designed for: library consortium staff, consortium leaders and managers, library staff involved in collaborative initiatives, anyone interested in how consortia build capacity and achieve collective goals.
Salon Format:
Lightly inspired by salon gatherings of the 17th and 18th centuries, each gathering is meant to be inspiring and interactive. The host will welcome the group and lead an icebreaker (~15 min), present on the topic (~10-15 min), and then facilitate a group discussion among attendees (~25-30 min).
Register for a Salon (topics below): BC ELN Salon Series Registration [1]
Library consortia are built around collaboration, bringing libraries and people together to accomplish what might be difficult, or impossible, to do alone. But what supports that collaboration, and what limits a consortium's ability to achieve shared goals?
As part of a recent research project, Leah Hopton, BC ELN Communications Manager, interviewed staff from library consortia across Canada about their experiences supporting collaborative work. Her findings offer insights into what supports and hinders consortial work and raises questions worth exploring together.
Rather than presenting Leah’s research as a finished set of answers, these salons will use findings as a starting point for conversation, inviting consortia staff to share their own experiences, perspectives, and ideas.
Each salon will explore a different aspect of capacity in library consortia. Together, the three sessions will give us an opportunity to consider what we're learning, compare experiences across consortia, and think about how we can support effective collaboration in our own work.
Friday, October 23 | 10-11 am Pacific Time
In this opening salon, Leah Hopton will share findings from interviews with staff from 13 Canadian library consortia, focusing on governance and member engagement, strategic planning, and student labour. Following a brief presentation, participants will be invited to reflect on the findings, share experiences, and discuss their implications for consortial work.
We'll explore questions such as:
Wednesday, November 4 | 10–11 am Pacific Time
As Lorcan Dempsey puts it, “library collaboration is hard, effective collaboration is harder [2].” In this salon, we'll explore member engagement and its role in consortial capacity. What does meaningful participation look like? What makes it challenging? And how can consortia encourage equitable contributions across their membership?
Leah will begin with a brief presentation sharing what she heard from consortial staff about member engagement, then open the floor for a facilitated discussion.
We'll explore questions such as:
Thursday, November 26 | 10–11 am Pacific Time
What could we do differently to address some of the capacity challenges facing consortia? Are there opportunities to share resources, rethink how we work, or collaborate across consortia in new ways?
In this salon, Leah will share ideas and strategies emerging from her research, then facilitate a conversation among attendees. The goal isn't to arrive at fully formed solutions. Instead, we'll use these ideas as a starting point to imagine possibilities, test assumptions, and explore what might be worth pursuing together.
We'll explore questions such as: