The paradox of collaboration in the partnership between primary schools and public libraries

Abstract

This study examined how Finnish teachers and public librarians worked together after attending a literacy programme. During the programme the participant partners planned and implemented literacy activities which they shared with other participating partners. After the program, four participating partners were interviewed. A theoretical model that distinguished levels of cooperation, coordination, and collaboration was used in the analysis of the interview data and in describing the depth of partnerships. Despite experience in the programme the partnerships between teachers and librarians were mostly cooperative and coordinative. This study highlights the need to clarify the meaning of the concepts pertaining to working together as previous research has mostly applied the concept of collaboration to partnerships that do not meet the associated criteria.