Crowd Control: Library bookings in the lockdown landscape
Hosted by the Mercian Staff Development Group (MSDG), this event will focus on how several institutions have managed their academic library spaces during the COVID-19 pandemic to regulate occupancy levels safely and successfully. The session will provide an opportunity for sharing learning and experience gained, illustrated through the deployment of various booking systems and policy approaches.
While not intended as a detailed technical session, the session will rather outline how each system works and how that has influenced policy decisions. However, information regarding the technical aspects of setting up and operating the systems described will be signposted for delegates interest. Specific systems covered will include: LibCal, LibCal Seats, Lorensberg Connect 2 Resource Booking Solution and Eventbrite. Additionally, attendees will have the opportunity to interact with the speakers.
Contributors are drawn from across a range of the Collaboration’s membership institutions, and will include:
- Chris Porter, Director of Library and Learning Services (Newman)
- Kathy Sadler, Systems Librarian (Cranfield)
- Kirsty Kift, Assistant Director Customer Experience and Service Innovation (Coventry)
- Matt Cunningham, User Services Manager (Loughborough)
- Mike Garner, Digital Services Manager (Leicester)
- Teresa Jordan, Head of Library Service Delivery (Birmingham)
With reference to managing access and occupancy, each speaker will provide local perspectives and insight through outlining their system and related policies. They will explore how their space management approaches have evolved over the past year, as well as the advantages and drawbacks uncovered. Finally, the event will seek to consider how these experiences will affect, configure and reshape future academic library service provision across the region.
Audience: Any and all library staff considering/reviewing their space management approaches in the current and post-pandemic environment
Requirements: The event will be hosted on Zoom, with standard web conference system requirements. See our guides for further information.
For more details or to book, follow the EventBrite link below, or contact event host Teresa Jordan (T.Jordan@bham.ac.uk)