Forming a New Library Community Group
New BTAA library community groups may be formed in response to identified needs from member library staff, BTAA staff, or library deans. The Coordinator for Community Engagement will work with the requestor to develop a new group proposal as part of the approval process. Approval will be handled by the Vice President for Library Programs.
BTAA library community groups vary in structure and participation model. For descriptions and list of current groups, see the Community Engagement Network page
- Peer groups: need a chair or co-chairs, representation from each member library (typically at least one representative per institution), and a BTAA staff liaison
- Communities of practice: need a chair or co-chairs, and at least 15 member libraries participating
- Interest groups: need one or more convenors, open invitation for participation across the BTAA library community (no minimum participation expectation)
Identifying Need
- When a potential need for a new group is identified, the Coordinator for Community Engagement works with the requester to review existing community structures and assess what kind of group is needed. This may include consultation with BTAA Library leadership depending on the origin of the request.
- Where helpful, a small group of stakeholders may be convened to provide additional community perspective and help shape the initial concept.
Defining Purpose and Scope
If a new group is warranted, the next step is to define its:
- Purpose
- Area of focus
- Intended membership
Group Formation
Once approved, initial planning begins, including:
- Identifying co-chairs or convenor/s (for Interest groups)
- Planning initial outreach and recruitment
Launch and Initial Meeting
The group is launched with a welcome message from BTAA staff and a kickoff meeting co-hosted by BTAA staff and group leadership. The kickoff is used to:
- Introduce members
- Confirm goals and expectations
- Establish meeting cadence and group participation guidelines
- Clarify BTAA staff support
Related Articles
Library Community Events
In-Person Group Meetings Virtual Events In-Person Group Meetings All in-person group meetings are initiated and planned by the groups themselves. The purpose of these meetings varies depending on the group’s type and its role within the BIG ...BTAA Library Community Engagement Network Teams Migration: FAQs
last updated: 1.7.26 Community Engagement Network Teams Site What is the CLP Community Engagement Network Team? You can learn more about a Team or Teams Site via the Microsoft Teams Support Site. All BTAA library community groups will now be part of ...Participation in the Library Community Engagement Network
Library Community Engagement Network Website Community Groups Participation Guide (Teams) Guiding Framework for the Libraries' Community Engagement Network [PDF version] Participation Guidelines Participation in official BTAA groups is intended for ...Group Co-chair Role
BTAA library community groups are encouraged to adopt a staggered co-chair model, with each co-chair serving a two-year term. Groups may adjust the term length to 1 or 2 years based on their purpose, focus, or membership. Staggered terms are ...Charters and Subgroups: A Guide for Community Groups
Peer Group Charter Template [Teams] Community of Practice Light Charter Template [Teams] Important: Be sure to follow the guidelines provided on the cover sheet when completing these documents. Peer Group Charters Purpose of Peer Group Charters The ...
Popular Articles
Getting Started
Introduction For FIRST TIME users For RETURNING users Introduction Welcome to the Big Ten Academic Alliance Knowledge Base! A knowledge base is a centralized repository for information, designed to help users find answers quickly. It can include ...HowTo - Access Big Ten Academic Alliance Microsoft Teams tenant
The Big Ten Academic Alliance uses Microsoft Teams for collaboration, communication, and resource sharing. Below is some helpful information on accessing the BTAA Teams tenant: How to access BTAA Teams tenant after being added: Method 1 (direct link) ...Hewlett Foundation Grant Funded BTAA Events
In fiscal year 2025 and 2026, certain BTAA events will be eligible for full sponsorship of costs. These meetings will be funded by the Big Ten Academic Alliance (BTAA) through a generous grant from the William + Flora Hewlett Foundation (Hewlett). We ...BTAA Library Community Engagement Network Teams Migration: FAQs
last updated: 1.7.26 Community Engagement Network Teams Site What is the CLP Community Engagement Network Team? You can learn more about a Team or Teams Site via the Microsoft Teams Support Site. All BTAA library community groups will now be part of ...HowTo - Fix Listserv Caching Issue in Outlook
Overview We’ve recently identified an issue where some email clients incorrectly cache listserv addresses as individual recipients. This can lead to confusion when replying to or composing new messages, causing users to unintentionally email the ...
Recent Articles
HowTo - Open an Incognito/Private browser window (in EVERY major browser)
Overview Google Chrome Microsoft Edge Mozilla Firefox Safari (on macOS) Overview What is an Incognito/InPrivate/Private Browser Window? An Incognito/InPrivate/Private window is a special type of browser session designed to provide a more private ...Charters and Subgroups: A Guide for Community Groups
Peer Group Charter Template [Teams] Community of Practice Light Charter Template [Teams] Important: Be sure to follow the guidelines provided on the cover sheet when completing these documents. Peer Group Charters Purpose of Peer Group Charters The ...Forming a New Library Community Group
New group proposal document [Teams] New BTAA library community groups may be formed in response to identified needs from member library staff, BTAA staff, or library deans. The Coordinator for Community Engagement will work with the requestor to ...Library Community Events
In-Person Group Meetings Virtual Events In-Person Group Meetings All in-person group meetings are initiated and planned by the groups themselves. The purpose of these meetings varies depending on the group’s type and its role within the BIG ...Staff Liaison vs. Staff Contact
Role of Staff Liaison Role of Staff Contact Role of Staff Liaison Staff liaisons offer programmatic guidance to Peer groups and new Communities of practice. The workload for this role may vary depending on the area of focus or programs/initiatives ...