Partnerships for Free Choice Learning: Public Libraries, Museums and Public Broadcasters Working Together

PARTNERSHIPS FOR FREE CHOICELEARNINGThe Urban InstitutePublic Libraries, Museums, and Public BroadcastersWorking TogetherChris WalkerCarlos A. ManjarrezUrban Libraries Council About This ReportIn the summer of 2000, the Institute for Museum and Library Services (IMLS), underthe acting direction of Beverly Shepherd, awarded a grant to the Urban LibrariesCouncil to conduct a research project to explore partnerships among cultural andeducational institutions engaged in informal lifelong learning. This research wascarried out in support of a new direction for IMLS, which, in addition to supportingpartnerships among its traditional museum and library constituents, invited publictelevision and public radio to join in collaborative efforts to expand lifelong learningopportunities. These efforts have included research and demonstration projects as wellas several convocations of researchers, funders, and executives and staff of museums,libraries, and public radio and public television stations.This report is part of the broadening national dialogue around informal lifelonglearning, which we refer to as "free choice" learning. The report is based on the resultsof survey and field research into partnerships among libraries, museums, and publicbroadcasters. It also draws on the growing body of published case material describingthe activities and outcomes of such partnerships.Its core value is use of a conceptual framework that explores, for the four institutionsthat are our focus—public libraries, museums, public radio, and public television—thecontributions, benefits, and risks of partnering across different types of activities. Webuild on the extensive case research done before us, and take a further look at a widevariety of activities carried out in practice. In addition, we make use of an extensivesurvey of adults 18 years or older; a survey of library, museum, and public broadcaststation executives and staff; and information from field investigations in sevencommunities—covering partnerships among libraries, museums, and publicbroadcasters across 26 projects.Readers can find more collaborative project information on the searchable databaselocated on the Urban Libraries Council website: www.urbanlibraries.org.Copyright © January 2003. The Urban Institute and Urban Libraries Council. All rightsreserved. Except for short quotes, no part of this book may be reproduced in any form orutilized in any form by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying,recording, or by information storage or retrieval system, without written permission fromThe Urban Institute and/or Urban Libraries Council. The U.S. Institute for Museum andLibrary Services (IMLS) reserves, for Federal government purposes, a royalty-free, non-exclusive, and irrevocable license to reproduce, publish, or otherwise use the work andauthorize others to reproduce, publish, or otherwise use the work. Printed in the United States of AmericaISBN: 1-885251-27-0IIPartnerships for Free Choice Learning Partnerships for Free Choice LearningIIICONTENTS1I. IntroductionWe explore a variety of partnering behaviors across libraries,museums, and public broadcasters in seven communities, involving26 different kinds of partnership arrangements.5II. Individuals and Free-Choice Learning OpportunitiesThe test of institutional and partnership value is whether learningopportunities expand. A conceptual framework supported bynational survey data shows how characteristics of individuals andcommunities link to participation choices--the potential payoffsfrom partnering.17III. Assets and Liabilities of PartnershipsThe four types of institutions discussed here have differentgoverning, financing, and legal arrangements. They also differ inthe ways they engage their constituents, their organizational assets,and the imperatives and challenges they face. 31IV. Partnerships and Their ActivitiesEach group of partnering activities carries a unique set of challengesand opportunities for the partnering institutions and the community.Meeting these challenges and exploiting new opportunities dependsupon both the routine demands of the activity and the institutionalresources available to carry out the work. 47V. Partnership Risks and Mitigation StrategiesEngaging in partnerships involves risks, but also returns. Risksincrease with the degree of project innovation, complexity, and levelof institutional interdependence. But partnerships have learnedhow to mitigate these risks and reap positive returns. Cultural institutions across the country are experimenting with partnerships in effortsto expand offerings to current clients and/or broaden their appeal to reach newconstituencies. These partnerships offer important lessons for institutions hoping toengage new constituencies and for policy makers concerned with broadening access topublic resources and fostering creative opportunities for free choice learning. IVPartnerships for Free Choice Learning 57VI. Partnershi