Event Title
Collaborating with Strangers (CoLAB) Workshops: Jumpstarting Partnerships and Creative Ideas
Location
CB1-113
Start Date
4-11-2017 8:15 AM
End Date
4-11-2017 11:15 AM
Description
This proposed (1) plenary session Collaborating with Strangers in the Digital Humanities, and follow-up (2) Collaborating with Strangers Workshops Training-in-a-Box, a ""how-to"" companion workshop sponsored by the Procter & Gamble Higher Education Fund, will share time-tested facilitative processes for jumpstarting new community partnerships, exposing hidden resources, and generating creative ideas in libraries, classrooms, nonprofits, and conferences. CoLAB Workshops facilitate interactions of participants during 3-minute speed-meetings. These workshops have connected over 2,200 students, faculty, administrators, and nonprofit professionals, and 600 organizations. Librarians at the University of Arizona, University of Florida, University of North Texas, and the University of Washington have presented CoLABs on their campuses. Participant feedback reveals that 90% of participants would attend another CoLAB or recommend the workshop to others.
During the plenary CoLAB Workshop, participants will receive supplies to create their individual profile signs to be used during the speed-meetings. A short presentation will review CoLAB's history, basic principles, session goals, and provide instructions for the facilitated 3-minute speed-meetings during which pairs will learn about participants by reading profile signs and then discussing whatever topic they choose. Each participant will meet with at least 10 participants. This session will demonstrate the power of asset-based community development processes, and result in new connections, knowledge of other's access to specific assets that may enhance their current projects, spark ideas for how to use new resources, and generally provide the foundation for more impromptu conversations throughout the conference. Essentially, the CoLAB will create a safe space to remove barriers often felt by participants at conferences by creating a contrived coffee-house environment that one might have encountered during the age of enlightenment, as described by innovation historian, Steven Johnson, in his book, Where Good Ideas Come From.
The plenary session may inspire some participants to attend a companion session to learn how to present these workshops in their own organization or communities. During the follow-up ""how-to"" Collaborate with Strangers Workshops session, participants will learn about the CoLAB Planning Series® history, strategies, sponsors, and results; as well as receive training on the step-by-step methods for coordinating, promoting, funding, and facilitating CoLAB Workshops. ALA Editions recently released a new book by the presenter and coauthors, April Hines and Barbara Hood titled, Collaborating with Strangers: Facilitating Workshops in Libraries, Classes, and Nonprofits. Those attending the ""how-to"" Facilitate Collaborating with Strangers Workshops training session will be eligible to receive a book at no cost. At least five books will be distributed.
Collaborating with Strangers (CoLAB) Workshops: Jumpstarting Partnerships and Creative Ideas
CB1-113
This proposed (1) plenary session Collaborating with Strangers in the Digital Humanities, and follow-up (2) Collaborating with Strangers Workshops Training-in-a-Box, a "how-to" companion workshop sponsored by the Procter & Gamble Higher Education Fund, will share time-tested facilitative processes for jumpstarting new community partnerships, exposing hidden resources, and generating creative ideas in libraries, classrooms, nonprofits, and conferences.
