Librarians as Part of Cross-Disciplinary, Multi-institutional Team Projects: Experiences from the VIVO Collaboration

Abstract

Cross-disciplinary, team-based collaboration is essential for addressing today’s complex research questions, and librarians are increasingly entering into such collaborations. This study identifies skills needed as librarians integrate into cross-disciplinary teams, based on the experiences of librarians involved in the development and implementation of VIVO, a research discovery and collaboration platform. Participants discussed the challenges, skills gained, and lessons learned throughout the project. Their responses were analyzed in the light of the science of team science literature, and factors affecting collaboration on the VIVO team were identified. Skills in inclusive thinking, communication, perseverance, adaptability, and leadership were found to be essential.

Facilitating Collaboration and Research in Sex and Gender Differences and Women's Health: Year One Experiences

“…Garcia-Milian et al describe a similar interdisciplinary collaboration in which librarians played a key role and identify characteristics librarians need to succeed on team projects: inclusive thinking, strong communication, perseverance in overcoming obstacles, willingness and ability to adapt, and leadership skills. 26 Setting Successfully competing for funding and implementing an outreach project requires strong relationships with library users, flexibility, teamwork, and innovation. With 16 colleges, more than 150 research centers and institutes, over 4,000 faculty members, and more than 50,000 students, the University of Florida offers an important nexus for the investigation and application of information on sex-and gender-specific medicine.…”

“…[22][23][24] While the concept of librarians as vital team members is not new, the research on how teams function and the skills needed for successful teams is emerging due to a growing emphasis on ''team science'' and cross-and inter-disciplinary collaborations. [25][26][27][28] Understanding how effective interdisciplinary collaborations perform and how libraries and librarians function within those teams is an important consideration for this outreach project that requires librarians to partner with their users. Garcia-Milian et al describe a similar interdisciplinary collaboration in which librarians played a key role and identify characteristics librarians need to succeed on team projects: inclusive thinking, strong communication, perseverance in overcoming obstacles, willingness and ability to adapt, and leadership skills.…”

Librarians’ involvement in cross-disciplinary research and its implication for sustainable development goals (SDGs)

“…The aim of cross-disciplinary research in this context is to solve problems at interdisciplinary levels in areas that focus on SD. According to Garcia-Milian et al (2013), successful approaches to global challenges such as climate change, complex biomedical research questions, food shortages and sustainable energy use, increasingly necessitate the use of cross-disciplinary and multi-institutional team collaboration (p. 1). Diverse collaborative teams are able to bring more innovative solutions to the research effort, maximize breakthroughs while minimizing failures and optimize dissemination of gained knowledge in a broad and efficient manner (Disis and Slattery, 2010).…”

Designing Libraries for Research Collaboration in the Network World: An Exploratory Study

“…However, feedback from biomedical and science librarians collaborating as partners in a large-scale cross-disciplinary multiinstitutional research project reveals that personal attitudes and interpersonal skills are the key factors for successful participation in team science, with the willingness to learn and adapt more important than a deep understanding of the technology (García-Milian et al, 2013). Sector organizations including Research Libraries UK, the Joint Information Systems Committee, and the Association of Research Libraries (ARL), have sponsored projects examining the skillsets needed for new or extended subject liaison and specialist roles (Auckland, 2012;Cox, Verbaan, & Sen, 2012;Jaguszewski & Williams, 2013).…”