Exploring community videoconferencing

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Exploring community videoconferencing in the
public library Preconference workshop NetSpeed
2005 Crowne Plaza Hotel, Edmonton Wednesday,
19 October 2005 1 p.m. 4 p.m.
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Plan for this afternoon

• discover a project that will shape technology
  policy in public libraries
• consider the potential of videoconferencing in
  the library
• explore opportunities for collaboration with the
  researchers.

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Session goals

• Describe what is needed (e.g., costs, space,
  expertise) to get started in community
  videoconferencing in the public library.
• Consider the main programming themes under which
  community videoconferencing could find a place in
  the public library.
• State the potential outcomes for the public
  library if it becomes involved in community
  videoconferencing.

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Session goals

• Describe the opportunities offered by community
  videoconferencing for enhancing the public
  librarys role in community development.
• Consider some next steps for participants.

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Module 1 Overview

• Reading The promise of Internet2
• Example http//www.accessgrid.org/
• Artifact ViaVideo H.323 videoconferencing camera
• Question for consideration What is involved in
  community videoconferencing in public libraries?

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Community videoconferencing in public libraries

• made possible by broadband networking.
• challenge and an opportunity, especially in rural
  and remote areas.
• may change the communitys perception of the
  public librarys role, in the same way that
  Internet workstations did.
• represents a change in the use of space in the
  public library.

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What is involved in community videoconferencing
in public libraries?

• Broadband and Internet stations already present
  in public libraries
• Space is needed, but may be flexibly deployed.

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What is involved in community videoconferencing
in public libraries?

• As a programming activity, the direct costs for
  capital items are relatively low (cameras are
  approximately 750 each).
• Collaboration with other community agencies
  represents a significant investment of staff
  resources.

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Small-group discussion

• What would your library and your community want
  to consider before becoming involved in
  videoconferencing?
• How does your local public library look at
  technology use in the library?
• What do users, librarians, trustees, and
  municipal councillors say about technology use in
  the public library?
• Would your library want to be involved in a
  videoconferencing collaboration with other towns
  or cities?
• Would you see community videoconferencing as a
  short-term pilot project or a long-term
  investment?

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Module 2 Programming themes

• Reading Videoconferences can bridge the gap
• Example Forestville and Prairietown
• Artifact Videotape
• Question for consideration What programming
  themes does community videoconferencing support?

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What programming themes could community
videoconferencing support?

• Storytelling
• Local and regional history
• Public services
• Advocacy/interest groups
• Social services
• Continuing education

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Videoconference sites
Forestville No SuperNet drop anticipated
Prairietown Broadband connected more than a year
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Videoconferenced storytelling demonstration

• Children at the remote location heard stories
  about a community they may never actually visit.
  Children in each location greeted children in the
  other location.
• Questions were posed for the storyteller from
  both locations. A videotape of the event is being
  created for deposit in each library.

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Videoconferenced storytelling demonstration

• For each session, a local storyteller spoke to
  Grade 3 children about early life in the
  community
• Summer day in 1950
• Winter day in 1936

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Forestville 22 November 2004
Storytellers in Prairietown
Prairietown 29 November 2004 Video Production
Julia Parrish
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Small-group discussion

• What is your public librarys programming
  strength?
• Who would community videoconferncing support or
  complement this programming?
• Do you have people in your community who might be
  willing to tell a story to children or another
  group?
• Does your public library support advocacy and
  interest groups?
• Are there groups in your community, such as the
  local museum or local history club, that might
  become a user of community videoconferencing
  facilities?

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Module 3 Library mandate

• Reading Armchair Adventures
• Example Series of meetings with Forestville and
  Prairietown schools
• Question for consideration How would
  videoconferencing find a place in your public
  librarys mandate and current activities?

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How would videoconferencing find a place in your
public librarys programming and space?

• Boston protocols of the public librarys
  mandate
• Library Acts
• Individual librarys mandate and culture
• Shift from information-seeking within one library
  to interaction within and between libraries

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Small-group discussion

• How would you describe your public librarys role
  in the community?
• What community connections and shared programs
  are there between your public library and local
  schools?
• Are there similar instances from your librarys
  history of the early use of a new technology?
• How was that use similar to, or different from,
  the SuperNet and community videoconferencing?

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Module 4 Collaboration

• Reading and example Tele-video literacy in the
  school library resource center
• Historical example Canadian Farm Radio Forum
• Question for consideration What opportunities
  exist to involve other libraries, systems, TAL,
  and the federal government?

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What opportunities exist to involve libraries,
library systems, and government?

• Creating a community-videoconferencing hub for
  the provision of technical services and expertise
  as needed.
• Freeing librarians of need to develop local
  technical expertise.
• Sharing experience about the librarys changing
  role in the community.
• Buying power for hardware and software.

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Small-group discussion

• Are there key people in your community who may
  want to become involved in community
  videoconferencing?
• Which individuals and groups would want to know
  about the potential of community
  videoconferencing in your local context?

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Module 5 Next steps

• What role do you see for the researchers in
  following up on todays session?
• What should happen next?
• Would you agree to a one-hour interview?

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Comments, questions, queries . . .