Online summer semester.
The seat-of-your-pants protocols that were put together for the shelter-in-spring semester have to be permanent for summer and probably fall.
At the school I work at the laptop loaner program is pretty successful (which lives in the library).
The reserves are a tough one though.
The textbook publishers are not really down with libraries wanting to purchase copies and though our research has just started I imagine it is going to be pretty darn pricey.
What to do?
Reserves have big circulation numbers and we want to support the students. School admins throw out OER. But I have realized that people kind of know what it is, but don't understand that it takes time to figure out what is out there and once the new material has been decided to change it on the syllabus.
There are some big database companies that have or are creating OER packages. They are pretty new and I have only seen one and they are cool, but still in the beginning phases.
Also, the pre-vetted searchable databases are probably pretty pricey.
And I am sure that schools, which are really nervous about enrollment want to throw money at the library on something that will take years to see a return on.
Yes. Sarcasm.
There is, of course, the copyright question. Frankly, I am not too concerned about it. Obviously, there should be considerations when copying items for LMS shells and such, but really if it something that needs to be scanned for a class and you can't get it any other way, I say go for it. I have been thinking about what could be offered to be scanned for faculty and students going forward from our course reserves.
Not sure how to go about it and I am sure that would require multiple ZOOM meetings.
ZOOM meetings. They completely exhaust me. I live in a small place and the separate workspaces for me and the hus are in close quarters so I have to wear a headset for 90% of my meetings. I have the same busy hat (that is what I call a headset) since I was in grad school, which was 10 years ago. Also, being a grad student I probably spent a whole 12 dollars on it. They are kind of pitiful.
I work at least 5-10 more hours a week now that I am at home. I don't see it letting up either.
The one plus side is that I can wear yoga pants all the time.
