Progressing Through Groundhog Day: Navigating the Impacts of Campus Turnover on Library Collaborations

Collaboration is inherent in academic libraries, and the relationships and partnerships we develop with our colleagues across the university are central to our effectiveness. Building and sustaining those relationships takes time, energy, and intention, but those efforts can be disrupted when there are shifts in the organizational structure of the university. Turnover in key positions carries the potential of lost institutional knowledge, communication breakdowns, and shifting priorities. Projects may stall, not because they lack vision or merit but because they are not yet embedded in the university’s framework and depend heavily on the advocacy of individual champions. When those champions depart and new colleagues fill those roles, the library must reintroduce its expertise, demonstrate its strategic value, and rebuild a shared sense of purpose