International Partnerships in Public Services:

from Pietermaritzburg

and Beyond

Camille AndrewsMay 2006

Objectives

• Challenges and opportunities in Mann’s international partnerships in:– Reference and Document Delivery for

African Centre for Crop Improvement– Instruction for AGORA

• Key Lessons Learned

The Genesis

• van Tienhoven professional development travel award and additional funding

• ACCI Site Visit in Pietermaritzburg, South Africa– Reference & Document Delivery

• AGORA/HINARI workshop in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia– Instruction

Off to South Africa

Map from InfoPlease: http://www.infoplease.com/atlas/country/southafrica.html

ACCI Site Visit

• African Centre for Crop Improvement– Joint Ph.D. program in plant breeding with

Cornell supported by Cornell Transnational Learning

– http://www.acci.org.za/– As a CALS department, Mann supports

with:• Reference services• Document delivery

ACCI Site Visit

• Tour of facilities

• Presentations to students

• Meetings with ACCI staff, librarians, faculty

Ref/ILL Challenges

• Infrastructure-Internet connectivity, electricity at remote sites

– Availability of print and CD delivery emphasized

– TEEAL and AGORA– Text messaging or short message service

(SMS)

Ref/ILL Challenges

Marketing and Communication– Website,

brochure and e-mails

– Presentations– Setting

expectations– Partners here

and at ACCI

Ref/ILL Challenges

• Reference interview at a distance– ACCI profiles– Reference profile

• Licensing and copyright– Agreements

On to Addis

AGORA workshops• Two 3-day

workshops on AGORA and HINARI

• Held at International Livestock Research Institute

AGORA workshop• First day-Introductions,

Internet and electronic resources, open access journals, etc.

• Second day-split into AGORA and HINARI groups in computer labs;

• Third day-TEEAL, discussion groups on marketing & training, etc.

AGORA workshops• Participants were

librarians, researchers, doctors, IT people from all over Ethiopia (35 total)

• Co-facilitated with ITOCA trainers Gracian Chimwaza and Vimbai Hungwe (not pictured) and HINARI trainer Steve Glover

Instruction Challenges• Some coordination by Mann but on-the-ground

support is key:– ITOCA in Harare, Zimbabwe– Local hosts such as ILRI

Instruction Challenges

• Infrastructure again– Facilities, not only accommodations and

training space but:– Bandwidth, bandwidth, bandwidth

• Low and slow• Telecom monopolies• Technical difficulties • Hardware & software

Instruction Challenges• Range of skill levels

– I-Skills Resume (pre-assessment), post-tests– Additional training

• Cultural context– Relevant examples (tef)– Training structure– Training materials--vocabulary and language– Context for training topics (e.g. copyright, licensing

restrictions)

Instruction Challenges• Be flexible and expect the unexpected!

– Technical difficulties– Logistics– Political disturbances

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/4398806.stm

Lessons Learned• Commitment from all partners

– Importance of mission– Persistence, skill and ingenuity– Support (financial and philosophical)

• Knowledge of and sensitivity to local contexts

• Sustainable procedures• Flexibility• Communication

Home again• Thanks and tribute

to:– Ari and Ans van

Tienhoven– Mann Library– Cornell Transnational

Learning and ACCI