Dialogue across borders: a full-day workshop on international library collaboration

June 4, 2025
9:00 AM - 4:30 PM GMT
University of Ghana, Legon Campus
Venue: West African Centre for Cell Biology of Infections and Pathogens (WACCBIP)

Registration is now closed.

The School of Information and Communication Studies
(University of Ghana)

and

The Institute for Globally Engaged Librarianship
(University of Kansas Libraries)

Are pleased to co-host a full-day workshop focused on advancing international library collaboration.

June 4, 2025, from 9:00 AM to 4:30 PM GMT at the University of Ghana’s Legon Campus.

This interactive workshop will feature lively discussions, collaborative roundtables, and small-group sessions aimed at generating fresh ideas and building lasting professional connections. Together, participants will explore the unique contexts, shared challenges, and mutual opportunities that shape global academic librarianship.

Workshop Goals

• Facilitate meaningful exchange between Ghanaian academic librarians and colleagues at the University of Kansas
• Explore shared challenges and local contexts, and foster mutual learning
• Share practical knowledge and diverse approaches to library practice
• Encourage lasting dialogue and connections among librarians across institutions and regions

Facilitators & Organizers

University of Ghana
-Akosua Darkwah (Dean, School of Information and Communication Studies)
-Patience E. Dzandza Ocloo (Lecturer, Department of Information Studies)

University of Kansas Libraries
-Carol Smith (Dean of Libraries)
-Brian Rosenblum Digital Humanities Librarian & Director, Institute for Globally Engaged Librarianship)
-Kodjo Atiso (Librarian for Africana and International Studies)

Program Outline

Time (GMT)	Session
8:30–9:00	Arrival & Sign-In
9:00–9:15	Welcome & Opening Remarks Organizers set the tone for the day, outlining objectives, expectations, and the schedule. Speakers: Akosua Darkwah, Carol Smith, Patience Emefa Dzandza, Brian Rosenblum
9:15–10:15	Stories Across Libraries: Introductions & Shared Challenges A large-group and small-group activity where participants introduce themselves, their institutional contexts, and areas of focus. In small groups, each person shares one innovation and one challenge from their library. In the final 10 minutes, the full group reconvenes to identify common themes and opportunities. Objective: Foster personal connections and surface shared goals and challenges to frame the day’s dialogue.
10:15–11:15	Inside the U.S. Academic Library: A Conversation with Dean Carol Smith An open conversation with Carol Smith, Dean of Libraries at the University of Kansas, exploring academic library strategy, leadership, and current challenges in the U.S. context. Objective: Provide insight into the organizational structures, planning priorities, and evolving practices of U.S. libraries to inform collaborative understanding.
11:15–11:30	Break
11:30–1:00	Thematic Exchange Roundtables Participants rotate among small-group tables focused on key areas of librarianship. Notes are captured on shared handouts or digitally. Objective: Identify shared concerns, promising practices, and potential areas for future exchange and collaboration.
1:00–2:00	Lunch & Informal Networking A relaxed break to nourish both body and conversation.
2:00–3:30	International Dialogue: Connecting Libraries Across Continents Via Zoom, KU Librarians are welcomed. Summary of morning sessions. KU librarians introduce themselves briefly. Then 3-4 Ghanaian librarians do the same. Followed by moderated discussion, either panel style or in breakout groups. Objective: Foster cross-institutional and international connections through meaningful conversation and idea exchange.
3:30–4:15	Reflections & Next Steps: Charting the Path Forward An open-mic reflection session where participants share key takeaways, generate new ideas, and respond to one another’s insights from the day’s conversations. Objective: Invite collaborative reflection and identify potential directions for future engagement and partnership.
4:15–4:30	Wrap-up & Closing Workshop organizers outline possible next steps, thank participants, and invite feedback on the day’s structure, facilitation, and overall experience. Objective: Conclude the day with a spirit of reciprocity and continuity, providing clear follow-up plans and space for shared ownership of what comes next.