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We developed the ALA salon for members to engage in live online conversations with ALA leaders. |
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Like European discussion salons, the ALA Connections Salon have provided an online environment for members to participate in formal and informal discussions centered on a specific topic. The salons took place on OPAL ( Online Programming for All Libraries), a user-friendly site offering online rooms where participants can interact via voice-over-IP, text chatting, synchronized browsing and other functions. | ||
OPAL Coordinator Tom Peters opened each ALA Salon by interviewing special guests invited for their knowledge of that salon’s topic. Following each interview, participants askrf questions and engagd with presenters and with one another about each salon's topic. | ||
Tom Peters, Genevieve S. Owens (Williamsburg Regional Library, Virginia), and Karen G. Schneider (Equinox Software, Inc.) collaborated to develop the salon series. Dates and topics of the salons are listed below. Click on the links to listen to the streaming audio. |
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| 2008 September 26 Presidential Connections (An interview with Jim Rettig) October 17 Kid Connections (Pat Scales, ALSC president) November 21 Political Connections (Emily Sheketoff, ALA Washington Office) December 19 Gaming Connections (Scott Nicholson) |
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2009 February 20 ALA Connections (John Chrastka and Kristin Murphy) |
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