The idea of partnerships for libraries is not new. Library and information science environments have a long history of forming alliances to better serve patrons. These alliances have taken many forms and have included, among other things, consortiums, cooperatives, collaborations and partnerships. 

Some alliances are formal and others informal; some partner libraries with other libraries for e-resource sharing, local and statewide, and others are libraries joining forces with other non-profits, service environments such as hospitals, the for-profit world and local, state and federal governmental entities. Just a few general examples include:

• public libraries and adult education organizations working together to offer adult basic education classes in public libraries; 

•  school and public library children’s services working together for  summer reading programs, programming for the pre-reading audience, programs for parents, resources and services for public school teachers and childcare environment teachers and providers, etc.;

•  school and public library young adult services working together for homework help tutoring and peer tutoring programs, young adult book clubs, volunteer programs, technology mentor programs, etc.;

• higher education library environments and school libraries partnering to share instruction ideas, resource information and recruitment; and 

• higher education library environments and business and industry teaming up to market services and resources for, among other things, economic development information.

While it is clear that the concept is not new, the Information Literacy Community Partnerships effort is designed to encourage a breadth and depth of partnership for exploring and realizing the vision of the importance of an information literate populace for the 21st century. 

This project is committed to public, academic, school, and special librarians partnering together and with business and industry, related non-profit organizations, the general public, other education groups, existing networks, social service entities, government groups and other interested local community groups.

In beginning these discussions at a national level, groups shared with the Planning Committee what they were currently doing and what they would like to see in the future.  Although the “Partnership Benchmarks” section outlines specific examples, general examples include:

• A private high school library in the southwest works with a local university to develop a program that allows high school students to use the university library after having been prepared by high school librarians. Why? It provides additional resources to supplement research opportunities; it offers recruitment opportunities to the university; and it helps in learning advanced research process skills as well as helps the student's transition to college.

• Local university librarians reach out to provide both technology and resource and materials workshops  (both K-12 and junior high and high school only) and train the trainer programs to public and private school librarians. These programs offer training in college and university library level information literacy and bibliographic instruction so that librarians will be familiar with what their students will be experiencing after graduation and (in communities where students use the libraries) after school.

• There is a growing trend in the college and university world for outreach positions in the academic library. These (typically soft money positions) are for outreach and coordination of the activities such as the ones listed previously.

• Many librarians at the local level are seeing both long term and short term value in regional all-type-of-library groups that meet two to three times per year for legislative initiatives, local information sharing on technology issues and professional development opportunities.  These groups prove to be valuable as well for materials' challenges issues, and budget discussion support.

•  Local and statewide associations are providing mechanisms for discussion and delivery of ideas and information. These take the form of joint committees between related associations, joint programming for conferences, and joint publications are, at the very least, publishing information in related-association and organization publications.

•  Several library schools are building projects into their curriculum and field study work. These projects require collaboration with local non-profits, community organizations and health services entities. Many of these project-based study programs team library students with local "clients" for the design of both service, print and web-based products for local use. 

• Many public librarians are offering classes for the general public, area businesses and service organizations, in addition to point-of-use or one-on-one instruction, in such areas as information literacy, basic computer skills, and Internet research and web design. These classes are designed to bring many new users into the "modern library" environment, provide initial instruction to provide a level of self-sufficiency for users, increase economic development in the area and provide opportunities for future discussions for mutually beneficial partnerships.

The Central Washington Health Information Network will integrate, promote, and expand the application and use of electronic health information for the benefit of more than 250 physicians, thousands of health professionals, and over a quarter of a million health consumers.  Beginning in a county that has one of the highest concentrations of minority populations in the Pacific Northwest ( and which is one of the poorest counties in the state), it will nurture collaborative relationships that will translate into a growing health information network for central Washington.

The Central Washington Health Information Network will be broad-based partnership of health information providers that will:

• assess the cancer information needs of regional consumers and plan services to fulfill these needs,
• create a website that provides easy access to local, state, regional, and national information about cancer,
• educate librarians, health resource coordinators, clinicians, social services workers, and the general public in use of health information resources including Web sites and libraries/ resource centers,
• help to select physical materials and web resources related to cancer,
• pool resources. For example, establish an online inventory of partner organizations' books, journals, and pamphlets,
• publicize the Health Information Network to the medical community and public.