16 Association of Research Libraries Research Library Issues 292 — 2017 A Quest to Survey Library and University Press Collaborations in Canada: A Case Study in Research Approach and Design Rosarie Coughlan, Scholarly Publishing Librarian, Queen’s University Library Geoffrey Brown, Digital Scholarship Librarian, Dalhousie University Robert Glushko, Associate Chief Librarian, Western University Inba Kehoe, Copyright Officer, Scholarly Communication Librarian, University of Victoria Introduction This paper explores a failed research project to undertake an online survey of Canadian university presses. We begin by summarizing the project, we then offer four practical reflections on why our research project was abandoned and how we might have approached the project differently (given the benefit of hindsight) that might have afforded a more positive outcome. We hope that this reflective critique will provide valuable lessons to both the researchers and others, when considering effective research design methodologies and approaches to engage the proactive involvement of a cross-sectoral group of survey participants. About the Project In spring 2015, the Canadian Association of Research Libraries (CARL) tasked its Open Access Working Group (OAWG)1 with surveying Canadian university presses in order to gain insight into current publishing practices as well as publisher attitudes towards evolving business models in the face of a rapidly changing publishing landscape. The group sought to gather valuable data about current challenges facing the Canadian scholarly publishing industry, and future opportunities for ongoing collaboration between libraries and