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What is a Community of Practice and why is it important?
- They are nodes for the exchange and interpretation of information.
- They can retain knowledge in "living" ways, unlike a database or a manual.
- They can steward competencies to keep an organization at the cutting edge.
- They provide homes for identities. They are not as temporary as teams, and unlike business units, they are organized around what matters to their members.
What do MLA members want and what will CoPs do for me?
MLA members want the opportunity to network and pursue topics of interest. MLA Communities of Practice are intended to be:
- groups by topic or interest area;
- flexible to meet member interests and needs;
- inclusive of all MLA members throughout the state;
- supportive of peer–to-peer professional development;
- a means for identification of emerging issues and professional development needs.
They require voluntary leadership. Communities are primarily Web-based so that all members may participate and have open access to the same information. Community lifecycles are dependent on member interest, topic timeliness or relevance, and whether members want to produce a concrete product or output beyond archived discussions.
Why should I participate?
This is your chance to help build something to meet the needs of library professionals in Michigan. By participating in a CoP that matters to you, you can explore networking opportunities online with colleagues and engage with others as you wrestle with a problem and find solutions. You can connect with your peers and lead MLA into the future.
What outcomes do we want to achieve through Communities of Practice?
The members of the Transitional Leadership Forum identified seven key outcomes that they want to achieve through Communities of Practice:
- Open access to all and broad participation by members
- A supportive forum for networking and discussion
- Simple, clear, easy process to get involved and participate
- A warehouse of member-created resources
- The incubation of new initiatives
- A positive, rewarding culture within MLA
- A powerful, united presence in the community at-large
How do I get involved?
- Login to the MLA Membership Service Center through this link and you will be directed to select a CoP list-serv.
- Joining the list-serv is all that is required to become a member of the CoP.
- For more detailed instructions, read how to join an MLA list-serv.
- Come to CoP event at the 2010 MLA Annual Conference:
- Wednesday, November 10: 1:15 - 2:15pm, Community of Practice session
2010 Communities of Practice
For this second year of the Communities of Practice, several pilot communities are continuing and several new communities are starting. Join in as many as you would like to network, share ideas with colleagues and learn from the discussion.
MLA 2010 Communities of Practice:
