Mary Lambert

During the last six years of my teaching career, I was actively involved in Professional Learning Communities (PLCs). These communities allow teachers of the same subject to work interdependently to establish pacing goals, plan similar lessons, craft common assessments, and analyze assessment data. As we all know, the main objective for educators is to improve student learning; however, this is not something they can do without the assistance of others. This is why collaboration through PLCs is so essential. For me, collaborating with other instructors in PLCs came with insurmountable obstacles as well as heartwarming rewards. My experiences taught me that, although a group of professionals may agree on a common goal or objective, that does not mean they always agree on the way to achieve it. Teaching is a profession where the phrase “this is how I/we have always done it” is uttered on a regular basis. Sadly, change, for many educators, is a hard pill to swallow but it must be done for collaboration to be effective and goals to be met. Because of this, a vital component of teamwork is remaining open-minded and flexible. It will always be difficult to bend when I feel strongly about something, but I have learned that this is part of being an adult and being a professional. The lessons I have gained from PLC collaborations will surely translate to librarianship. With this knowledge, I will be equipped to listen to and take into consideration the opinions of others, weighing pros and cons before developing my own conclusions. By doing this, I will be efficacious as both a group member and a group leader.

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During my Practicum at Southern Pines Public Library, I have had the opportunity to collaborate with other staff members by serving as a member of the Teen Services Committee. This motivated group of ladies is determined to create an exciting teen program that successfully serves the teen members of the community. Before meetings, a detailed schedule is always prepared with a specific objective in mind to ensure discussions are beneficial and productive. To keep discussions moving forward, a timer is set to indicate when it is time to move from one topic to the next. Sessions always conclude with concrete plans of action and everyone feeling as if their voice has been heard. Although we are all passionate about libraries and teen services, our unique backgrounds allow us to bring an individual perspective to the discussion. Participating in these meetings has helped me identify steps that can be taken to make collaboration more successful. It is easy to bring like-minded people together to complete a project, but for a committee to assess and then successfully meet the individual needs of a diverse community, the team should be diverse as well. Additionally, collaborations should not occur without a specific agenda to follow. Without a detailed plan, members are likely to lack direction, lose focus, and accomplish little, if anything. Collaborations require structure to produce results, and I am now prepared to both create and appreciate structure in my professional career. 

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While completing my coursework at UNCG, I have had the opportunity to collaborate with fellow classmates on a variety of assignments and projects. One that has left a lasting impression is that of the Needs Assessment completed in LIS 650: Library Administration and Management. For this assignment, my team and I analyzed the website of the J. Murrey Atkins Library, located on the University of North Carolina at Charlotte’s (UNCC) campus, and how students and staff use and interact with the library’s website. To gain the insight of both students and staff, we created and conducted surveys and examined website analytics. Part of the group met several times in person to analyze data and begin drafting the assessment, and additional collaborations occurred via the chat on Google Docs. The final product the group created was something I am extremely proud of, but it did not come without obstacles that, in turn, have become valuable learning experiences.

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From the beginning, our group was overwhelmed with impediments. Completion of this project required virtual collaboration, something that was completely unfamiliar to me at the time and often resulted in major complications. At times, we were forced to work without our partner from afar because he did not attend class or failed to respond to emails. Determined to be successful, we powered through, taking on additional responsibilities to pick up the slack. Of course, much to our dismay, additional group members became more and more distant during pivotal meetings, which, in the end, left only a few of us to carry the entire load. We did just that.

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This experience showed me that, regardless of the difficulties that may arise during collaboration, giving up cannot be an option. Even though it is difficult to remain positive when group members drop off or fail to communicate, that does not mean all hope is lost. I have learned the value of flexibility and open-mindedness when working with others, and the importance of preventing one’s self from becoming the overbearing micromanager. Collaboration is difficult enough without these negative characteristics taking over. Although I would like to believe that collaborations in the professional world always run smoothly, I know this is not the case. As a librarian, I will be faced with many challenges, some similar to what I experienced during this project, but I will use the lessons I have learned through previous employment, my internship, and my coursework to handle them maturely and professionally.