Towards a research platform: partnering for sustainable and impactful research in public libraries

Public institutions are changing, alongside social, economic, and environmental forces, such as the COVID-19 pandemic. Public libraries and universities are two institutions in flux and thereby can benefit from research that helps guide decision-making. In times of austerity and crisis, resources are often stretched thin, interrupting research activities. To overcome this challenge, we draw on the authors’ experiences being involved in a research platform that consists of a public library, a university, and four other community organizations. Using the research platform as a case study, the authors examine lessons learned about sharing infrastructure to support sustainable and mutually beneficial research.