Simplifying and Expanding Collaboration through Collaborative Websites

For many years, school librarians have recognized the importance of collaborating with teachers to integrate inquiry into student work but have met with varying degrees of success in achieving this goal. Traditional teaching methods, attitudes and expectations, lack of understanding of the role of the school librarian, staffing multiple schools, communication roadblocks, and scheduling have all contributed to the difficulties of creating truly collaborative units for students. Technology can provide a creative strategy for encouraging and supporting collaboration with teachers. At the same time, it is vital to involve students in the creation of their own knowledge through collaboration and communication with others. The use of LibGuides is examined as a framework and tool for both these purposes.