University-Public Library Partnership: Connecting Communities for Civic Engagement

1. Metropolitan State University: Connecting with Community Through a University-Public Library Partnership… The Chapter and Beyond American Democracy Annual Meeting June 18, 2010 Susan Shumer & Rob Shumer

2. Metropolitan State University’s Community and Commitment to Community-University Partnerships • Urban 4-year public institution with 9,606 students • Mission Statement: The university is committed to academic excellence and community partnerships through curriculum, teaching, scholarship and services designed to support an urban mission. • Vision Statement: “The faculty, staff and students will reflect the area’s rich diversity and will demonstrate an unwavering commitment to civic engagement”

3. The St. Paul Public Library’s Commitment to Community • Consists of a central library and 12 branch libraries • a public institutions that provides materials and service to the public • Vision Statement: To be respected and recognized, by people of all ages and diverse backgrounds, as their doorway to reading and information.

4. A Complementary Vision and Mission • The complementary mission and vision of Metro State and the St. Paul Public Library: • A shared commitment to civic engagement and lifelong learning

6. An Authentic Partnership • Meeting authentic needs of both communities/organizations • Authentic collaboration to achieve mutual goals • Institutional and community leadership • History of collaboration: Center for Community-Based Learning

7. A Relationship That Works… • Sharing of personnel • Funded by a joint grant from Bush Foundation • Created collaborative working partnerships with community organizations: CLUES, Dayton’s Bluff Elementary School, Community of Peace Charter School

8. Partnership Generated Many Collaborative, Service-Learning Efforts • Described in book chapter: • CLUES collaboration grows tremendously • American Library Association: Teens Know Best and Best Books for Young Adults (BBYA) • Para los Ninos – collaboration between MN Children’s Museum • The Homework Help Center

9. Partnerships Generated Many Collaborative. Service-Learning Efforts • …and beyond the chapter: • College Goal Saturday • Gordon Parks Gallery Initiatives

10. Challenges • All relationships take time • Defining mutual operating procedures and policies • Maintain institutional commitment • Shared staffing

11. Lessons Learned • Develop commitment at all levels in participating partner agencies • Understand that partnerships, like all relationships, take time • Maintain respectful communication, which builds trust • Clarify shared values and mutual interests • Create mutually defined goals • Identify opportunities to work together • Make a commitment to evaluate the collaboration as well as the joint programs

12. …More Lessons Learned • Design formal structure of the partnership • Build trust and understanding: relationships matter • Clarify roles of each partner • Meet on a regular basis • Identify grant sources/fundraising collaboratively • Create short and long term goals and action plans: focus more on inputs than outcomes ---process more important than products • Reflect • Celebrate

13. Conclusion • The most notable success of this partnership is that through the efforts of an institution of higher education, a public library system, and a community with a dream, and a mutual need, worked together to build a University-Library Partnership which provides Dayton’s Bluff residents and the Metropolitan State community access to an array of services, technology and opportunities.