Agreement with Partner Institution

As a Hamden resident, the public library is one of my safe spaces within the community. Whenever I want some quiet or an opportunity to meet new people and socialize, the library is where I go. As an immigrant who knows next to nothing about the place and the community, the library has become my refuge. It is a space where I can learn, connect, and feel a sense of belonging. Having experienced the warmth and support of the library, I was inspired to give back to the community by initiating a project that could contribute to its development.

On the afternoon of March 11, I went to the library with the consent form in hand, hoping to secure their approval as a partner organization for my project.

I approached the information desk and looked for Ms. Elisabeth (second from the left), the head of information, whom I was told to seek out by other employees I had spoken to days ago when I first inquired about the process of partnering with the library. Ms. Elisabeth arrived, and I told her about my special project. She mentioned that she might not be the right person to approve this kind of partnership, so she called Ms. Melissa (first from the left), the library director.

They phoned her, and she eventually came down to meet me. I introduced myself as a senior student at the University of the Philippines, working on an instructional design project in partial fulfillment of the requirements for my program, Bachelor’s degree in Education Studies. I explained that I had been a patron of the library and wanted to have them as my partner organization for this project.

Without hesitation, Ms. Melissa immediately said yes. She asked more about my plans for the special project, and I told her that I came in without preconceived ideas. I wanted to focus on what the library needed rather than imposing my own vision. She appreciated this approach and opened up about the fact that the library actually has plenty of needs. 

We continued chatting about the weather, my experience as an immigrant, and, interestingly, she shared that her brother had once taught in the Philippines for 11 years. We exchanged contact information, set a date and time for our next meeting, promised to stay in touch, and she signed the consent form before we parted ways (see Appendix A).

From this experience, I gained two (2) important insights:

First, I realized that there are instructional needs all around us, and often, the best place to look is within our own local and immediate communities.

Second, I learned the value of listening to the needs of your partner institution instead of coming in with a preconceived idea in mind. This, I believe, allows us to actually deliver solutions that respond to actual needs, which should be the paramount goal of any instruction.

Prior to finalizing an agreement with the Hamden Public Library, I had some difficulty finding a partner institution. I had a meeting with a Filipino student club at a nearby university, but we weren’t able to move forward with an agreement due to their packed schedule for the month of March and the following month. This situation left me feeling somewhat disheartened and low in spirits.

To resolve this challenge, I decided to turn my attention to the institutions within my local community. I searched for organizations nearby—particularly public ones, as I wanted to work on a project that served a broad audience—and made a list of potential partners. At the top of my list was the Hamden Public Library. As described in my earlier narration of events, I was fortunate to successfully reach an agreement with them, and they officially became my partner institution.

My strength, I believe, lies in what I didn’t do: I didn’t come in with a preconceived idea in mind. Instead, I allowed my partner institution to express their own needs and priorities. This, I believe, played a key role in helping us close the agreement and in building a positive relationship with the partner organization, which will be very important in the succeeding phases of the project.

My weakness, on the other hand, was in the early stages of seeking a partner. I didn’t cast a wide enough net. As a result, I found myself stuck when my first potential partner was unavailable due to a packed calendar. This experience taught me the importance of planning for contingencies and reaching out to potential partner organizations as early as possible.

From this experience, I would recommend that, for the succeeding phases, I continue building on the positive relationship established during this initial meeting. 

For my future self, I would recommend learning from my strengths in this experience: listen closely to the needs of your partner organization. Let their needs and goals shape the direction of the project. This approach builds trust, encourage real collaboration, and leads to more meaningful outcomes.