Question for the day - have we become too dependent on Zoom?
When the pandemic hit almost four years ago, Zoom was the great lifeline that allowed us to remain in touch with each other. I've lost count of the number of talks that I have given online in that period for organisations and events across the world - and I have never been busier on that front! - but I can certainly tell you how many talks I have given in person in that period.
Two. And they happened on the same day and at the same venue, a year ago at the University of Strathclyde.
Zoom has allowed family history societies and other organisations to create massive online communities, empowering distant members to gain attendance at events that they were geographically prohibited from attending before. That is undoubtedly a good and great thing. But in the process, is Zoom also destroying an aspect of the local family history community that has existed for decades right here on our very doorsteps in Scotland?
I rarely see talks advertised for local in-person events anymore, with the exception of major conferences (and those are also now few and far between) - and a tip of the hat here to Aberdeen (ANESFHS), which is going strong with in-person talks programmes amongst its branches - but prior to the pandemic you could not keep up with the number of events happening locally. Indeed, when I first started this blog in 2007, I would once a month list events happening, before eventually having to stop a few months later because it was just such a big job! People would meet, listen to a speaker, then socialise afterwards with a cup of tea and a catch up, with books and magazines often on a table somewhere for members to look at and to potentially buy. On a personal note, several times a year I would look forward to visiting such groups as a speaker, to get out and about in the country. Such meetings were a great way for folk to socialise on a regular basis, with many lifelong friendships formed as a consequence.
As a speaker, the rate paid for a talk online and in person is the same, so my big concern is not for any loss of income at my end, or for other speakers, but for the existence of the smaller local family history communities that often provided a focus for folk to get out of the house once in a while to pursue a hobby they enjoyed. Are we becoming trapped behind our laptop screens? Some of us may or may not have developed Long Covid, but are we all in danger of developing Long Zoom...?
I know a couple of societies that have tried hybrid meetings, where talks are given in person or via Zoom, with folk gathering to attend in person or on Zoom, but I literally have no idea if any societies are running hybrid programmes, where some meetings are for local branch members only, and others open to the world. Are there members who used to go to meetings, but who are now put off by Zoom? And how do you motivate a community when digital members only meet virtually once a month, and can only speak in an allotted time frame if the chair notices the wee hand icon going up in the first place?!
Zoom is certainly here to stay, and will certainly continue to provide a superb resource for many. But in creating one form of community, is it destroying aspects of another? I'm certainly interested to hear your thoughts, particularly if you are also based here in Scotland!
(* If you have an in-person event happening locally - or online! - I am more than happy to run a notice for it here on this blog, simply drop me a note at chrismpaton @ outlook.com)
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I understand your point completely Chris, here in New Zealand we don’t have a lot of day or weekend type conferences pre Covid, being a small country. We have always had smaller gatherings though like the Scottish Interest group and the Irish Interest group and I’ve seen these advertised again as in person. Plus but we have had two big Family History Expos in Auckland and Christchurch since Covid, and in person.
ReplyDeleteHowever, and I know you understand and see the value of this, as a New Zealander I’ve been able to attend many conferences and talks with Zoom that I otherwise wouldn’t. For example the Scottish Indexes virtual conferences agave been a massive pleasure and great learning opportunity for me, and I’ve attended them all since Dec 2020. I feel like all of the speakers and Emma and Graham are friends now 😀. For you in Scotland with the population base you have I do hope you return to more in person get togethers. I’ve seen several in England that my friend Graham Walter often show photos from. Would love to be able to attend.
This is a good point Chris. I joined a couple of societies overseas during COVID and was excited to be able to "attend" meetings via zoom when time differences allowed. But I do miss the local meetings the societies used to hold here - even though it's far more convenient to eat my tea and wear my slippers rather than getting in my car to go out to a meeting! I know FHC in Melbourne had their AGM as a hybrid - so it is possible. I think this is a problem globally, not just Scotland.
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