Talk:Unconferences and library camps

From LLN

Some other observations -- Peter Murray 22:39, 8 December 2008 (EST)

I like your definition a lot. Those three sentences capture the intent and practice of unconferences -- at least as I have come to know them. One item to add under "advanced arrangements" is the selection and publication of a social media tag that will follow the discussion before, during and after the event.

The other commentary I would add would be around charging a registration fee. When Bob Robertson-Boyd and I worked on BarCampOhio/LibraryCampOhio earlier this year, we debated for a long time whether or not to charge for the meeting. We knew it was the custom of unconferences not to charge and to seek sponsorship money or gifts-in-kind. But, being the first meeting, we weren't sure if we'd get 100 people to sign up and 10 to show up. In the end we decided to charge $25 for the event to go towards a t-shirt and break food. (Meeting space, WiFi and lunch were covered by sponsors.) I talk more about the way we set up the financial piece in a blog posting summarizing our experience. --Peter Murray 22:39, 8 December 2008 (EST)

You're right--the fee question is a live one -- Walt Crawford 10:39, 9 December 2008 (EST)

Good point about the social tag as well. I've added two bullets to the "Advance arrangements" list: Deciding on a social tag and deciding whether or not to charge a fee.

The fee question is an interesting one; I'm among those inclined to believe that a modest fee may be a positive thing (and $25 certainly counts as "modest fee" by my standards). We tend to value things more highly that we pay for, rightly or wrongly.

I'm really interested in the variety of practices among the 30-or-so library unconferences to date; when time permits (and maybe on my own time), I'm going to do some analysis on them and probably prepare a separate article summarizing practices and results. (That initial analysis is now done, see Unconference and library camp practices.)