[Air-L] Interest in AoIR-sponsored webinars?

[Michael Zimmer]

Hello, all.

Reading through the recent threads, there seems to be recurring interest in expanding the reach of the conferences through technology, and also providing more means for interaction beyond email and the annual conference.

(Note, we've generally opted against live-streaming the conferences due to the additional technical challenges and related costs. We could, perhaps, stream only 1 room for the entire event [I think ICA does this], but then someone needs to decide which presentations get such a privilege)

Is there interest in having AoIR-sponsored topical webinars? The association could invest in a GoToMeeting or WebEx platform (or get an institution to sponsor), select 4 topics per year (focusing on discipline, method, theory, IRBs, tools, etc), and then invite members with expertise to provide mini presentations, opening up for discussion, etc. 

Such a format, while not perfect, at least might allow some clustering of the diverse membership around areas of common interest. I've done these for the American Library Association, and I'm sure many of you have done these for other groups.

Thoughts?

Michael Zimmer
Treasurer, AoIR

-- 
Michael Zimmer, PhD
Assistant Professor, School of Information Studies
Director, Center for Information Policy Research
University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee
e: zimmerm at uwm.edu
w: www.michaelzimmer.org