COLICO

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• COLICO
• Pathways to Learning
• Dublin, November 2006

Elaine Urquhart Assistant Director, Library,
University of Ulster Chair of FOYLE
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• The FOYLE Experience
• Empowering the local community

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MAP
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FOYLE - The Start

• Dr Martin Luther King
• Take the first step in faith. You dont have to
  see the whole staircase, just take the first
  step.

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FOYLE - The Basic Facts

• Official launch 2nd September 2004
• Small number of libraries at start
• - UU Magee campus
• - Derry City Public Library
• - North West Institute of Further and
• Higher Education
• - Altnagelvin Trust Library

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North West Institute
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Altnagelvin Trust
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University of Ulster Magee Campus
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WELB Derry City Library

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Expansion

• Initially offered access only, but quickly moved
  on to providing loans
• More members including museums and archive
  centres
• FOYLE now refers to Fostering Your Learning

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FOYLE Expanded

• Altnagelvin Trust
• Education Centre Library, St. Conals Hospital,
  Letterkenny
• Genealogy Centre
• Health Promotion Library
• Heritage Museum Service, Derry City Council
• North West Institute of Further and Higher
  Education
• Omagh College
• University of Ulster Magee Campus
• Verbal Arts Centre
• Western Education Library Board

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Why Bother?

• UU perspective
• Social inclusion agenda
• Improve relationship with local community
• Handle, in an open and transparent way, requests
  for use of our resources
• Rebut rumours that rare books and special
  collections had been moved to Coleraine or
  disposed off

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Challenges

• Formulating sound operational procedures
• Modelled on SCONUL arrangements
• INSPIRE now has good documentation in place

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Challenges

• Winning hearts and minds
• University management
• Library staff
• in Magee
• on other campuses
• at all levels
• Would other libraries want to co-operate?

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How Has It Worked Out?

• Well received by local community
• Created positive feeling in the local community
  towards the University
• No detrimental effect on our service to our own
  UU users
• No problems with overdue, damaged or lost books

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Partnership Working in Action

• New relationships have developed across the
  library sectors and with local museums and
  archive centres
• These working relationships are favourably
  received by local government departments

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Next Set of Challenges

• Further expansion to rest of NI in response to
  requests
• Keep up the momentum
• Need more publicity - possibly a re-launch

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Worthwhile?

• Definitely, but need
• Flexible can do approach
• Commitment to make it a success
• Not to be deterred by obstacles
• Good team working
• Openness
• Appreciation of situation and concerns of other
  partners

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Tips

• Need one person in each organisation to drive it
  forward
• Build on excellent start-up kit now available
• Based on its situation, each organisation needs
  to decide its level of involvement

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Finally

• Thank you for listening
• I am happy to take questions today or I can be
  contacted afterwards at
• ee.urquhart_at_ulster.ac.uk

http//www.inspire.gov.uk/