**Input needed**: Scheduling Coding Workshop Meetings

[spurioso]

Everyone,

I knew this day would come. School's back in session and the McKeldin labs are in demand.

I checked with Maggie C. about scheduling the labs.

Typically the labs are reserved at this time of year for class use only.

However, Maggie is willing to accommodate us as best she can, but she asked if we could hold off scheduling until next Friday, September 13th, by which time most of the library instruction requests will have come through. Given that the rooms are really for users, I have a hard time arguing with that logic.

So, we need a plan for the next two weeks or so. We could:

1. Go on hiatus temporarily.
2. Find an alternative space. Any ideas?
3. Break out into smaller groups and use conference rooms.
4. Meet virtually.
5. Try to work out something to use the McKeldin labs. For instance, maybe by meeting very early (7am-8am??)

Any thoughts appreciated. Please put them in the comments below. Thanks!

[SLDC]

Since it's a very busy time of the year, go on a hiatus, temporarily.....if we don't want to stop the momentum, meet virtually?

[ecaringo]

I would hate to see the group lose momentum now. Maybe we can book one of the larger conference rooms and those with laptops can attend in-person and the rest of us can attend virtually. Since it is a busy time, maybe not as many people would be able to attend in-person anyways, lessening the need for a large meeting space. Or maybe a group of people can volunteer to attend virtually if they usually attend in-person to prevent overcrowding?

--Liz

[jwestgard]

I would advocate keeping it rolling. Everyone will get busy at different times, and for some Friday the 13th might not be the best (not to say unlucky ;-)). So keeping our routine of meetings as reliable and predictable as possible helps minimize the danger of us getting off track. As for the alternative meeting place, I would say an in person session without everyone having computers is perfectly doable. We haven't always used the computers intensively anyway, and those who can bring laptops can perhaps share...

[jennielevineknies]

All, What about scheduling this meeting in the conference room in DSS in the basement, with the big screen, And instead of practicing coding, pick a piece of code and do a "code reading." That might be really helpful at this point, and I know Josh did a really good job of commenting on his code for the scheduling program. Or we can pick a different piece of code, doesn't matter.

Jennie

Sent from my iPhone

On Sep 3, 2013, at 8:22 PM, Joshua Westgard notifications@github.com wrote:

I would advocate keeping it rolling. Everyone will get busy at different times, and for some Friday the 13th might not be the best (not to say unlucky ;-)). So keeping our routine of meetings as reliable and predictable as possible helps minimize the danger of us getting off track. As for the alternative meeting place, I would say an in person session without everyone having computers is perfectly doable. We haven't always used the computers intensively anyway, and those who can bring laptops can perhaps share...

— Reply to this email directly or view it on GitHub.

[jennielevineknies]

Interesting tidbit. I left the above-reply using the respond-to-email feature. I never received anything saying that my response had been posted. Maybe because I sent it? Did others receive a notification?

[ghost]

Jennie, I received the one notification from yesterday's post concerning DSS conf rm.

[barnach]

I like Jennie's idea of code reading. I've gotten off-track with the coding exercises as I've been working feverishly on aleph shelflist reports related to the mold outbreak. Is there a way that we could work on a simple project while learning the codes? That way, what we learn (or should I say "I"?) will stick. I will probably be attending virtually more often.

[barnach]

BTW, the TSD conference room has a big screen. You may consider using it for the meetings. Schedule it in the online calendar.

[spurioso]

Okay. Thanks for the input everyone. I agree it would be great to keep the momentum going! This week is just about shot. Let's plan for early next week. I'll schedule it. We'll do one of the small rooms and do a code read through. Any ideas for that? I wonder if it's too early to start looking at py-marc. Lots of stuff on python in Code4Lib, also pretty gnarly. Adromeda Yelton wrote this Jaguarbot thing and wrote about it and put the code on Github.

RE: the room, DSS conference room sounds good. @jennielevineknies is that room on the Outlook calendar?

More tomorrow. Thanks everyone!

[jwestgard]

The DSS conference room is in Outlook as MCKB0228.

[spurioso]

Cool. Thanks, @jwestgard