Roundtable Moderators' Guidelines

• Background and Guiding Principles
• Planning the Session
  • Content
  • Format
  • Logistics
• Running the Meeting
• After the Session
• PAM Bulletin Responsibilities

Background and Guiding Principles

The PAM Strategic Plan has relevance for the roundtables:

Strategic Plan Goal 2: Plan focused, dynamic programming at the Annual Conference.

• Objective 2.1: Keep providing strong discipline-focused and practical conference programs. Explore ways to make subject-based roundtables even more effective.
• Objective 2.2: Plan conference programming that deals with changing technologies and other topics specifically identified in the 1998 PAM Division Survey, e.g., management, supervision, funding, and licensing.
• Objective 2.3: Explore and offer as appropriate a wider variety of regular conference program formats, including teaching/learning vehicles, e.g., panel discussions, workshops, tutorials, and seminars.
• Objective 2.4: Publish or otherwise make conference proceedings available promptly on the Division web site, e.g., round table notes, program transcripts, overheads.

The PAMwide Roundtable is an informal opportunity to discuss issues of interest to all members; its mission is distinct from the Annual Business Meeting, at which the Division's official business is transacted. Note that not everyone has arrived by the time this roundtable is held so that any important points should be repeated at the Business meeting or some other occasion.

The Computer Science Roundtable is sponsored jointly with the Sci-Tech division, with each division moderating it in alternate years.

Planning the Session

Planning should begin in January and develop as the conference approaches.

Content

• Have something for everyone, either by covering a variety of topics or by focusing on a theme of broad appeal. Try to include topics of interest to those in libraries and situations outside of academia (e.g., corporate settings, national labs).
• Consider speakers from a variety of organizations (commercial/society, academic/non-academic, etc.). Perhaps invite "real users" (e.g., computer scientists, faculty, researchers) to the session to learn their perspectives.
• Be mindful of overlap/redundancy among the Vendor Update, PAMwide and subject-specific roundtables. If someone is invited to speak in more than one roundtable, check with other moderators to make sure the topics differ.
• Make sure speakers know the level of expertise of the audience. We expect informative, content-rich, thought-provoking presentations.
• Focus content on operations as well as strategy, philosophy and directions (e.g., current operations, how and why things are done or happen, future orientation, planned and proposed initiatives).
• Any plan entailing an expense must be cleared with the Chair in advance. Payment of expenses for the annual conference is handled directly by the Treasurer. Session sponsorships, if any, are arranged by the Chair-Elect, although Moderators are encouraged to provide suggestions of possible sponsors.

Format

• Make sure there is significant time for Q&A, "personal interaction time," and "face to face" discussions. This has been the top request of attendees. However, a completely open-ended discussion session rarely works.
• Limit the number of speakers and make the individual presentations shorter, allowing time for questions & response.
• Leave room for the unexpected. There are often last-minute needs to insert speakers/topics into PAM programming slots, and that usually falls to the subject roundtables.
• Consider having formats other than speakers, e.g., have the moderator (or a panel of PAM librarians) ask questions of a panel of publisher representatives (or PAM "experts").

Logistics

• Distribute the agenda in advance using PAMnet, the PAM website, and other relevant mechanisms.
• Arrange for someone (possibly the previous moderator) to take notes at the session.
• Determine what equipment (e.g., microphone, overhead projector), if any, is desired and consult with the Chair, who makes the equipment arrangements. It is useful if the moderator can get to the room early to ensure that equipment is appropriate. Try to determine well in advance whom to contact in case of a problem.
• The jury is divided on using viewgraphs or PowerPoint in presentations, but handouts are always popular. If PowerPoint or other computer presentations are planned, speakers should be advised to bring backup overheads in case of computer failure.
• Ask speakers (gently) to prepare a summary of their remarks for posting on the PAM web site. Visuals can also be posted.

Running the Meeting

• As part of the welcoming remarks, thank the session sponsor(s) and acknowledge any of their representatives who may be present.
• Provide agenda and speaker contact information either on a handout or an overhead.
• General introductions at the start of roundtables are a good idea--many folks like this.
• Have speakers use microphone or lapel mikes, especially in larger rooms.
• Repeat audience questions to the group, if acoustics are not ideal.
• Keep in mind that there is a mixed level of expertise and interest in the group and try to explain acronyms, provide brief introductions to discussion topics, etc., so that the information is placed in a context understandable to all.
• Seating--Most people prefer to have all participants sitting in a circle, so that they can see each other's faces, but SLA does not set up the rooms that way. Changing the set-up is practical only if the attendance is small enough to be so seated, the room is large enough to handle chair re-arranging, and there is time enough before and after to re-arrange the chairs. Do not worry about this if it will subtract from your program time. If you move chairs/tables, ask participants to help you move them back into the usual room arrangement. You may need to end the session early to do this.
• Timing.
  • Keep things moving.
  • Establish and enforce time limits. Be clear with speakers about time limitations. Tell them how you will notify them that time is up.
  • End promptly at the stated time. There is rarely a good time to cut off discussion, so just interrupt and DO IT.
  • Know if another group will be using the same room after your session. If so, plan to end early enough to allow for proper transition.

After the Session

• Return evaluations to the PAM Strategic Planning Committee
• Send session proceedings, including reports from individual speakers, to the PAM webmaster for posting on the web site ASAP.
• Prepare a session summary for the August issue of the PAM Bulletin.
• Evaluate the session. Send recommendations for next year's conference as well as additions and changes for these guidelines to the PAM Chair who appointed you within one month after the Conference.

PAM Bulletin Responsibilities

Other Roundtable moderators are expected to report the proceedings of their session for the August Bulletin following the conference. They may also contribute an announcement of plans for and/or an invitation for more ideas for the roundtable to a preceding Bulletin issue.

The Bulletin report for a session may be written up by the note-taker, but it is the responsibility of the moderator to ensure that it is submitted.

PAM Practices Manual Editor: Kristine Fowler, fowler@math.umn.edu

Copyright protected.

Original: August 1993
Page last updated: October 8, 2004