[PADG:1155] discussion groups

[Janet Gertz <gertz@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Discussion groups play several roles.  One is to provide people who are
not part of PARS a place to come and hear information about different
aspects of preservation.  Online discussions are useful for people who
are already part of the community, but miss anyone new who isn't on
that particular listserv or chat room.  Face to face discussion also
has a synergy that online discussion lacks.

With regard to the reporting session, someone has suggested going back
to the 8-10 pm time slot.  We gave that up because *NO ONE*, not even
the people making the reports, wanted to spend  weekend evening that
way.  The reporting migrated to PADG because it is our opening event,
the time when the most people are in one place, and so has the largest
audience.  My own preference would be to keep the reporting on the PADG
agenda, but enforce a 5-minute limit per report.  Anything longer than
that should be defined as a discussion topic and included on the agenda
at the chairs' discretion if they think it has broad interest.

Looking at reducing duplication of effort among the discussion groups
would also help.  The Binding DG and the Binding Automation DG could
profitably merge back together and share a single time slot, as they
did at this meeting.  The PARS DG doesn't have a set theme -- it is a
place for topics that don't seem to fit elsewhere.  Is this a necessary
function, or could anything suggested for PARS DG fit reasonably into
PADG, as long as the reporting part of PADG is kept under strict
control?

Janet Gertz
Janet Gertz
Director for Preservation
Columbia University Libraries
101c Butler Library
535 West 114th Street
New York, NY 10027
212 854-5757
fax 212-854-3290
gertz@xxxxxxxxxxxx