- Treat a partner as an equal, 'whilst recognising that (the museum/archive/library) may be the more powerful of the two as an embodiment of cultural authority'. Be aware of the impact this perception may have on a new partnership
- Allow time to establish the partnership; set realistic aims
- Find out about partners' plans: they may be involved in a programme that could complement your project
- Clarify your own and your partners' agendas. Explore openly and honestly:
- What are our goals
- What are your goals
- Where are the common goals?
- Where do our goals diverge?
Make sure these discussions happen not only at the top of the organisation, but at the local level as well
- Be honest about time commitments. Adopt a flexible approach to planning meetings, workshops, etc.
- Establish working methods and a review process that are acceptable to all sides
- Acknowledge that you may have to alter ingrained work methods - working
differently may be a fundamental element of your partnership
- Accept that there are risks in partnership work. Not all the outcomes will be positive for the museum, archive or library. Acknowledge conflict and differences and use these as a learning opportunity
- Be honest about skills, capability, and experience, and identify development needs in discussions with partners
- If the partnership is not productive, make some changes or get out
How sustainable is your partnership? Go to the next page for suggestions.
