Communications Working Group
Meeting 12 May 2009
In attendance:
Communication WG: Daniel Gallaher, Robin Moskal, Shu Qian, Austin Smith, Katy Sullivan, Vicki Sipe (recording), LaTanya West (Chair)
Document Management WG: Michelle Flinchbaugh, Susan Graham, Janet Hack
Meeting with Document Management Working Group members
Document Management Working Group members were invited to come to this meeting so that the two groups could exchange ideas in areas of possible overlapping interest. 
a) Ongoing training for staff on use of the wiki software
b) Best Practices for wiki use by working groups
Katy handed out copy of wiki guidelines she put together from our previous discussions (these were presented to CWG members at our last meeting).  DMWG members felt this was a good set of guidelines.  Add recommendation that each working group have a member responsible for maintaining the group's wiki.  Robin will send the guidelines to LEC for discussion there.  After LEC feedback, the guidelines could go to the Library Assembly.
What role do we see for wiki in Library communication?  DMWG members considered the wiki primarily for Library Guidelines and documentation, as that was their focus.  They set up wiki pages for each committee, but not really their role to encourage use.  People will adopt the technology or not.  CWG has been discussing whether or not wiki can be a major tool for Library communication.  Feelings that wiki has good potential as a portal for working groups, also has potential for "conversations."  How might we get more people to use it?  Possibly a statement from Library leadership on the role of the wiki in Library communication---what will be available there, how to use it, etc.  Noted that it is much easier to put together a page and maintain it in the wiki than to put up and maintain a web page.  Every version of a page is archived on the wiki, and deletions can be recovered.  
Additional training for staff on use of the wiki.  Training offered so far has been great.  Could it continue, could we see more advanced training, ask departments for ideas on what they might like to see in the way of training?  Some departments have moved their documentation from the I drive to the wiki.  Possibility of repeating training already offered (some people missed it).  Several people from both groups (CWG and DMWG) interested in doing training to the proposed guidelines for working groups on use of the wiki.  We could ask working groups to send one or two members to such a training.  Interest in communicating to staff some issues with attachments, pages with generic names, pages vs attachments.  DMWG members offered to follow up on training and the issues that need to be communicated to users listed above.   CWG members noted that perhaps there needs to be a best practices document for wiki use in general, not just a working group guideline.
Thank you to the Document Management Working Group members for attending the meeting.
CWG follow up to conversation with DMWG members  
Possibly form a subcommittee to work with DMWG on training.  Perhaps LEEC could be involved in the promotion of wiki training.  Repeat training sessions until attendance falls off.  Tiered training---beginner, intermediate, advanced.  Make sure that people understand that this is training useful to your work.  Perhaps we need to put together objectives for wiki training.  Perhaps we could make proposal to LEC that wiki become more prominent in Library communications and functions.  Austin will work on an interactive FAQ for wiki use.
Next steps for committee work
We need a work plan and timeline.  LaTanya will draft a work plan for the next six months for the committee to review.
LaTanya asked committee members to please add comments to the Interdepartmental  Communications Proposal page on the wiki (if you haven't already done so).  
Briefly discussed proposing additions to Guideline 163 Ground Rules for Working Groups. 
Action Items
1) LaTanya  will draft a workplan for the next six months. 
2) LaTanya will make additions to FAQ and then e-mail to Kuhn list.
3) Robin will take Confluence Wiki Page Guideline for Library Working Groups and
               Committees to LEC for discussion.    
4) Katy will make the presentation of the Confluence Wiki Page Guideline for Library Working
               Groups and Committees to the Library Assembly, after we have gotten feedback from
               LEC.     
5) Vicki will draft comments on the Guideline 163 Ground Rules for Working Groups based on
               our discussions. 
6) Vicki will draft survey report. 
7) Austin will work on an interactive FAQ for wiki use.
8) Daniel will put together some suggestions on improving vertical communication.
9) We will all make contributions to the Interdepartmental Communications Proposal page on
               the wiki.