Fostering Collaboration by Leading Communities of Practice

Abstract:Librarians continually seek innovative ways to integrate library expertise and resources into campus research endeavors. Although qualitative research has grown across disciplines, researchers using these methods often receive little campus-based support. The authors investigate this shortfall in support of qualitative researchers through interviews and a survey with respondents from a range of academic disciplines to better understand the challenges these scholars face. Findings suggest researchers who use qualitative methods employ make-do and expedient means to gather expertise from colleagues within their professional networks. They have multiple unmet needs and would welcome the opportunity to participate in groups of fellow practitioners to advance their skills. The authors propose and explore the communities of practice model, wherein participants gather to learn from one another around an area of common interest. This model offers a way for libraries to provide needed leadership and support for qualitative researchers. Librarians, in their roles as liaisons, domain specialists, and curators of methodology texts, are in prime position to foster collaborations between researchers who have or need qualitative research skills.