The cooperative efforts of the customer and service information department in IBM's Kingston, New York, laboratory and members of the academic community designed to improve technical communication and knowledge skills for all concerned are described in this report. These efforts described include (1) study groups working to design a library of publications for a new product, (2) on-site courses taught by a university professor to help employees upgrade their writing skills, (3) academic help with the design of reader surveys and survey data analysis, (4) collection of useful academic studies, (5) a cooperative education program for students on semester breaks, (6) presentations to university classes, (7) participation at the Association of Departments of English conference, and (8) a graduate work-study program for employees. (JL)