[Eg-oversight-board] Ideas for fostering community participation: survey, IRC practice time

[Andrea Buntz Neiman]

>     I like the open house idea for DIG. I also was just thinking today
>     that I would like to see a return to regular community meetings in
>     the IRC channels. It gets more people from the community in IRC at
>     a time where they don't feel like they are disturbing others and
>     it also gives every a chance to come up to speed with the things
>     the different community groups are doing. In the past, I know
>     there have been reports from the developers, DIG, the web team, etc.
>
>
>     However, I was thinking it might also be nice if there could be a
>     standing agenda item where Evergreen sites might talk about
>     Evergreen projects (development or otherwise) that they are
>     currently planning/working on. It would be a good way for the
>     community to hear what others are doing and maybe join together on
>     projects of mutual interest.
>
>


+1 on these ideas -- If the goal is to create a one-stop shop, and 
funnel more community members to needed areas, then I am in favor of 
directing more traffic to IRC.

My (two very minor) concerns with the EG sites talking about EG projects 
are 1) making sure we can get timely & relevant input from a broad range 
of sites, and 2) being careful to not duplicate effort with the EG 
newsletter -- i.e. coordinating the information and just putting it out 
in the different places (newsletter to the listserv, and meetings on IRC).

And to broaden Yamil's original point about the DIG survey, could we 
throw this out to the community at large?  Not just as relates to DIG, 
but just as relates to "project involvement" writ large. Some of the 
reason for low involvement may be beyond our control (myself as an 
example -- I have had an incredibly busy summer at work where my 
priorities have unfortunately had to reside elsewhere), but it would be 
helpful to identify other entry barriers that we CAN do something about 
(as was suggested: DIG hangout, IRC intro/practice time, etc., among 
other things).

> A related idea that just occurred to me -- might it be useful to 
> establish a second IRC channel, e.g., #evergreen-social, that's meant 
> for not-entirely-on-topic chat?

> As an intentional relief valve, #evergreen-social probably should 
> *not* be logged.

+1(ish) on these as well -- in light of holding more meetings in IRC, I 
think an unlogged "safety valve" social channel could be beneficial, 
while keeping the business of Evergreen in the main channel.  Overflow 
could also go to the #openils-evergreen channel if that is preferred, 
but of course that is currently logged.  It doesn't seem that the 
#openils-evergreen channel dgets a ton of use as it is.  Also as Galen 
said the name is not so descriptive. I personally prefer names using the 
more specific "Evergreen" moniker than the broader "openils" one, but 
that may just be my Inner Cataloger speaking :)

"See" you all tomorrow -- I may be a couple minutes late as I'm coming 
off a desk shift.

A.

Andrea Buntz Neiman, MLS
Librarian II, Public Services
Kent County Public Library
408 High Street
Chestertown, MD 21620
410-778-3636 x2115
www.kentcountylibrary.org



-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://list.evergreen-ils.org/pipermail/eg-oversight-board/attachments/20130814/3b233522/attachment.html>