Communities of practice in the academic library: strategies for implementation

Abstract

This slim volume, written by an American professor and library practitioner, is focused on the purpose, value, execution, participation model, and potential of a communities of practice group (CoP). An Etienne Wenger quote is used in the opening to establish the parameters: ‘Communities of practice are groups of people who share a concern, a set of problems, or a passion about a topic, and who deepen their knowledge and expertise in this area by interacting on an ongoing basis’. The author later comments, ‘think of any situation in your life where you regularly gather with a group of people and casually discuss thorny issues and problems’. She cites her first mothers’ group and the talk shared informally around a kitchen table. The author proposes that the heart of a CoP lies in developing a shared repertoire of tools and ideas and then launching these at a recurring problem. A number of observances must be accounted for – and this is what the volume sets out to describe. The approaches to building community segue into a chapter addressing what participation looks like, and how collaborative conversations leave space for diverging ideas and active listening. In a later chapter, storytelling for illumination purposes is explored, and how this can encourage others to share their own experience in creative, evocative language. Opening the dialogue in an informal way can stimulate the group, and deeper understanding underpins knowledge. A bullet list in chapter 7 supports ideas for generating valuable reflective practice and highlights the written record to promote a wider and deeper dialogue. Appreciative inquiry (AI) is explored as a method of considering what might be possible, and then the author looks at the value of harnessing mindfulness. There are excellent ideas and strategies in this book for setting up a CoP. Could it have been as informative in a shorter, more succinct journal article? Yes, possibly. However, most readers won’t mind some repetition and forensic diagnosis, and the author maintains a warm engaging tone throughout.