Sharing Digital Navigators Among Public Libraries

Lessons Learned:

• Libraries may decide to drop out. In our case, one library had a director change just before that actual work began and participation no longer seemed viable for them. Flexibility is required.
• The process of collaboration is time-consuming but rewarding and no director regretted the time spent developing the workflow. 
• While we anticipated a preparatory period of six months, it took approximately one year. 
• Library directors found the number of libraries involved in the collaboration worked well. 
• There cannot be enough advance education for directors on the elements of digital navigation. Even directors familiar with the practice of digital navigation may have blind spots and sharing requires cooperation on elements of the navigation process that may be new to even experienced directors.  Managing navigators and ongoing community outreach is a skill that those new to navigation may not have thought about.
• The size of the geographical area that mobile navigators will serve determines the hours available for appointments. The circumference of the geographical area covered by our shared navigator pool was larger than we had originally anticipated and totaled 133 miles. Distances between libraries were as short as 4 miles or as long as 18 miles. A work plan that pairs sites of navigation wisely can be developed even with this large area, but it will impact hours available appointments per library.  Some directors concluded that, ideally, the geographical region would be more compressed.  The mileage reimbursement was a very small part of the budget, but the time spent traveling might have been reduced if library participation were limited to those who were closer on the map.  
• Memoranda of Understanding are a good tool for reinforcing the nature of the library commitment to participate in collaboration. In hindsight, the coordinators of this plan would choose to make the memorandum even more specific, adding best practices for ongoing engagement with navigators. 

• Sharing navigators works.  See the LibGuide page "Sharing Can be a Solution."