Abstract
The purpose of the Health Library Association of British Columbia (HLABC) Webcasting–Webconferencing Pilot Project was to assess the feasibility and value of using Web-based technologies to improve access to continuing education (CE) events and meetings, particularly for our association's rural and remote members. By offering online access to CE events and other Chapter activities, we aimed to facilitate professional development and networking opportunities for our members by enabling those who have previously been unable to attend CE events and meetings to participate online. From June 2010 through May 2011, HLABC offered web access (via WebEx Meeting Centre) to all of our association's events. To assess value and feasibility, we conducted post-event surveys and a whole membership final project evaluation. The overwhelming majority of respondents were enthusiastic about the project's ability to increase event access. Lessons learned from the project include the need for sufficient IT troubleshooting time as well as ways to change meeting culture to better include online attendees within a primarily face-to-face event. An unanticipated benefit to the project was the ability to spontaneously create collaborative new programming, such as an online journal club. At the end of the pilot project, our association resolved to adopt Web delivery as an ongoing strategy, raising member dues a small amount to partly defray the cost of the technology.
Highlights
Similar to many other Canadian professional associations, the Health Libraries Association of British Columbia (HLABC) faces the challenge of providing Continuing Education (CE) opportunities to a geographically dispersed membership
While 28 responses represents more than half the number of registrants for online delivery of association events, because of the nature of terminal sharing within workplaces and the flexibility for online users to come and go at ease, we cannot be certain what the exact response rate was; we present only descriptive statistics from the voluntary surveys
Despite some minor technological hitches, all project objectives were met; we webconferenced all scheduled meetings and events as well as additional events that arose during the year, and we assessed the feasibility of ongoing Web delivery of other association events
Summary
Similar to many other Canadian professional associations, the Health Libraries Association of British Columbia (HLABC) faces the challenge of providing Continuing Education (CE) opportunities to a geographically dispersed membership. Participation in centralized meetings and events has reflected the barriers posed by distance, and attempts at improving access via video conferencing at specified regional facilities and a small travel fund have had limited impact. Just over a third of our members are more than an hour away, and many of these more distant members require boat and (or) air travel to attend any Vancouver area CE events in person. In the current economic climate, many employers have reduced funds for travel or CE. Such cutbacks disproportionately impact our distant members, who are arguably the subpopulation with the greatest need for professional association CE due to fewer local opportunities for professional development
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