Internationa l Partnerships in Public Services: from Pietermaritz burg and Beyond Camille Andrews May 2006
Dec 21, 2015
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
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
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