Opportunities, Connections, and Synergy: Virtual and Live Collaborations of Librarians, Students, Departments, and Industry

Martin Kesselman, FNBI Team Martin Kesselman, FNBI Team Rutgers University Libraries Rutgers University Libraries martyk@rci.rutgers.edumartyk@rci.rutgers.edu

Why Should You Collaborate? Information is ubiquitous – libraries are no longer

the gate keepers Visibility, demonstrates library roles in academic

research and teaching Librarians viewed as integral partners and able to

bring together diverse expertise. More opportunities for funding. Departments

have more experience and less red tape.

USDA Higher Education Grant: Library Opportunity to Build Bridges Outreach by Library to Cook College (land grant) Strategic alliances - moving beyond the library Collaborative brainstorming is critical BS/MS Degree in Food Business in planning stages Cooperative Education program Cook College relationships with small business RUL infrastructure for digital library projects

Project Team Food Science Dept. & Center for Advanced Food Technology

(Geetha Ghai, Henryk Daun, Mukund Karwe, Karen Schaich) Nutritional Sciences Dept. (Adria Sherman) Agricultural, Food, and Resource Economics & Food Policy

Institute (Ramu Govindasamy ) Rutgers University Libraries (Martin Kesselman, Patricia

Libutti, Karen Wenk, Ryan Womack) School of Communication, Information, and Library Studies

(Dan O’Connor) Cooperative Education, Food Innovation and Research

Extension (FIRE)

Collaboration & Synergy Interdisciplinary course: “Food and Nutrition Business

Informatics and Communication.” Virtual Collaboratory: a virtual collaborative learning

laboratory Focus on information literacy & communication Student teams collaborate with partners. Builds bridges for departments, students, New Jersey

and for new opportunities.

Students Partners

Informatics Communicate

New Ideas Opportunities

Coursework Teamwork

Virtual Collaboratory*Collaboration Tools*Conferencing/Chat Tools*Course Tools*Information Portal*Library Resources*Data Sets and Tools

Virtual Collaboratory Features• Collaborative writing through Sakai and

repurposed Open Journal System.• Virtual meetings – class/team forums,

chat, calendar.• Virtual Course Pack (textbook)• Information Resources – portals such as

AgNIC, data sets, library databases.• Virtual conference for all participants

Connections for Students Creates participatory learning communities Cross-fertilization via collaborative work Virtual Internships: active learning experience

with companies Builds on Cook College cooperative education

program, funds for internships Class conference with students and partners

FNBI Course in a Nutshell Develop project idea – business/marketing plans, production plans,

white paper, grant. Identify problem to investigate with industry partner.

Effectively search databases and data sets: food sciences, nutrition, & business; perform a literature review and provide findings to partner.

Review and evaluate information Develop Effective communication skills: graphic, oral, and written –

website, Powerpoint, poster Participate in a live & virtual conference, students make oral

presentation referring to their website or other graphic representation.

Connections for Rutgers, New Jersey & Beyond Students provide industry partner with the most up to

date research and data they need. Lead to more partnerships and opportunities for Cook

College departments and centers. Soup to Jobs pilot with Elijah’s Promise Soup Kitchen Keystone course for BS/MS Food Business program All tools are web-based and virtual: potential to offer

this course through distance learning Virtual student teams with other colleges/universities Collaborate with remote and international partners

Collaboration Issues Individual is less important than the team – Leave

egos at the door Need for common understanding. Each discipline

has unique perspectives & vocabulary Keep your administrators in the loop. Stay on track – momentum is critical. Be sure

everyone is on the same page. Look for ways to promote your collaboration & for

ways your collaboration can lead to other collaborations and/or serve as a model for others.