[PADG:1151] Re: PARS--why it works the way it does

[Lorraine Olley <l-olley@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

At 10:51 AM 01/19/2001 -0500, you wrote:
>It seems to me that one or two of the DG's could could
>        experiment with trying to carry on discussion by list or chat
>        or some other means and use some of their face-to-face time to
>        evaluate the experience.
>
>        Bob DeCandido


Well, this is a good start!

There were several good ideas expressed at PARS DG addressing the 
scheduling problem:

1.  Go back to using the Friday afternoon time slot at Midwinter, and the 
8-10 pm slot at all conferences.  This would create more slots for 
scheduling the DGs.

2.  Go back to scheduling a "Reporting Session,"  which used to be 8-10 pm 
on Saturday, if memory serves.  It would be painful to some,  but would 
free up PADG time for discussion rather than hearing a series of 
reports.  It would also make the reports, and contact with the 
representatives who make them, more widely available to the membership, 
rather than just to those of us who get to conference early.

3.  "Sunset" discussion groups that have low attendance (say, 10 or fewer 
participants for two conferences), and/or have trouble identifying an 
individual to step up as chair.  Electronic Imaging and Preservation Course 
and Workshop Instructors DGs have gone away.  What about CMDS/PARS DG, 
which keeps appearing on the schedule?

4.  Encourage chairs of DGs with similar interests to look at combining DG 
sessions for a few conferences, or permanently.  This was done successfully 
by Library Binding and Binding Automation DGs at Midwinter in a temporary 
arrangement, and by Preservation Course and Workshop Instructors and 
Education and Outreach permanently.  For this to work it is especially 
important to identify and share potential DG topics early on.

I strongly support exploring 3 and 4 before messing with the schedule.  I'm 
also in favor of the reporting session (as long as it's scheduled in a 
venue with really good coffee!).  I think the last resort would be 1, which 
would involve added expense for many of us.

Any other thoughts?  If we come to some consensus here, could we then pass 
it along to PARS Policy and Planning to work on before San Francisco?


__________________________

Lorraine Olley
Head, Preservation Department
Northwestern University Library
1935 Sheridan Road
Evanston, IL 60208
USA
847-491-4672 v
847-491-8306 f
l-olley@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx