So many meetings, so little time : using IP videoconferencing to revitalize statewide committees

• Main Authors: Lombardo, Nancy, Hansen, Carol
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: 2021
• Subjects: Library and information science
• Online Access: https://hdl.handle.net/10356/152559
• Institution: Nanyang Technological University

Internet technologies continue to transform the library profession and redefine how we communicate with professional colleagues and peers. IP (Internet Protocol) videoconferencing provides increased opportunities for librarians to engage in virtual teamwork and e-collaborations. The use of video conferencing by a consortium in Utah has revitalized committee work and continuing education within this large western U.S. state. Academic libraries in Utah are separated by hundreds of miles. With only thirteen higher education institutions in Utah, the Utah Academic Library Consortium (UALC) has been extremely effective in promoting valuable collaborations and cooperative resource sharing for decades. Many libraries have consistently benefited from important cooperative efforts. UALC librarians have worked together successfully in many areas including interlibrary loan, collection management, information literacy programming1, library services to distance learners, 2 and chat reference. The collaborative library work environment in Utah requires librarians from St. George (not far from Las Vegas) to serve on committees with librarians from Logan (near Idaho). These cities are nearly 400 miles apart. Recent budget shrinkages have caused many libraries to cut or eliminate their travel budgets. This makes committee work particularly challenging and threatens to discourage participation in collaborative projects across the state. Imagine having the choice between driving five hours one way to attend a one-hour committee meeting and attending that same meeting in your own office. This is the choice UALC librarians are now able to make when attending UALC committee meetings, due to implementation of an IP videoconferencing network among UALC libraries. Through the use of IP videoconferencing UALC committee members can effectively meet with colleagues across the state without leaving their own library.