Communities of Practice in the Academic Library: Strategies for Implementation

by Michelle Reale

How can academic librarians strengthen their practice of teaching and provide education through access to information, using intentional efforts to both learn and share in a social context? Building and fostering communities of practice (CoP) is the ideal way forward, as Reale demonstrates in her new book, which is both inspirational and practical. With her guidance, readers will
  understand how coming together in pursuit of knowledge and shared goals can lead to a more fulfilling work environment and better professional outcomes;get pointers on how to begin with simple, casual collaborative efforts that won’t conflict with busy schedules;learn from Reale’s personal narratives of how CoP took root at her own institution, and the ways in which it continued to flourish during the lockdowns necessitated by the pandemic;receive a flexible CoP framework for implementation that can be tailored to fit their own needs and goals;see how to nurture conversation, participation, collaborative inquiry, and mindfulness, all essential ingredients of the CoP;feel comfortable using personal stories as tools for sensemaking within the CoP as well as ongoing individual learning and growth; andbe encouraged to follow through and stick with it, using the reflection questions and activities at the end of each chapter.

112 pages, Paperback

Published January 3, 2022

Reviews

[Eric Bradley · Rating 3 out of 5]

A short, accessible introduction to communities of practice and compatible practices geared toward academic librarians. The first four chapters of the book provide an overview of communities of practice and guidance on developing one in one's local context, while the last five chapters provide introductions to five practices that easily incorporate into communities of practice. Reale provides an articulate overview of communities of practice while pointing to strategies in the academic librarian context, but not to the extent that it would be unhelpful to any other professional. She is self-defacing at times, which keeps the tone light and brings in a few laughs. While I have mixed feelings about the five additional strategies (why these and not others?), it helps fill out the text and provides useful frameworks for a community of practice. I do wish the publisher would have used a slightly larger font in the book, but I was able to adjust as I moved through the read.

[Victoria · Rating 4 out of 5]

It lost me towards the end but is practical for when you want to start a CoP (which I’m doing).