Library Board Meetings Conducted Remotely

This information is to assist library directors and trustees in conducting board meetings when a meeting cannot be held in person.

• Contact Clairellyn at sommersmith@winnefox.org with questions about open meetings
• Contact Joy at schwarz@winnefox.org with questions about videoconference and conference call options

Open Meetings Law:

• Guidance Related to Open Meetings and Technology Use During COVID-19. Wisconsin Department of Justice, Office of Open Government.
  • Office of Open Government Advisory: Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) and Open Meetings. Excerpts:
    • ... governmental bodies typically can meet their open meetings obligations ... by conducting meetings via telephone conference calls if the public is provided with an effective way to monitor such calls (such as public distribution, at least 24 hours in advance, of dial-in information for a conference call).
    • More recently, DOJ guidance deemed video conference calls acceptable as well.
  • Additional Information Regarding Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) and Open Meetings (20 Mar 2020). Excerpts:
    • Governmental bodies must ensure that they follow the notice requirements of Wis. Stat. § 19.84 and such notice should inform the public that the meeting will be held remotely and provide all information necessary for the public to monitor the meeting.
  • Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) and Open Meetings Advisory Office of Open Government Advisory (17 Mar 2020) — technological and practical issues that governmental bodies should consider in advance of meetings.
• library board meeting resources in general

Videoconference tools:

• Zoom (contact Joy at schwarz@winnefox.org regarding Winnefox's subscription)
• Join.me
• Zoho
• FreeConferenceCall Online Meetings
• FreeConference Online Meetings
• Skype Video Meetings
• GoToMeeting
• UberConference
• Google Hangouts
• Facebook Live — a person would need a Facebook account to attend
• Facetime — works on iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch iOS devices only
• Microsoft Teams — conferencing available among staff who have a Winnefox-area library email address only

Conference Call tools:

• FreeConferenceCall.com
• FreeConference.com
• Join.me
• Skype Free Conference Calls
• UberConference
• Google Hangouts — everyone who wants to join a group conversation must use classic Hangouts chat
• UW-Shared Services Phone Conferencing — offers telephone conferencing services to Educational, Governmental & Non-Profit groups

Best Practices for Online Meetings:

• Remote Meeting Etiquette and Procedures, excerpted from the Dane County Board of Supervisors Remote Public Meeting Toolkit, 30 Mar 2020
• What It Takes to Run a Great Virtual Meeting. Harvard Business Review, 5 Mar 2020
• Tips for Successful Online Meetings. Grantspace / Candid Blog, 18 Mar 2020
• The Dos and Don’ts of Online Video Meetings: From Setting a Clear Agenda to Testing Your Tech Setup, Here’s How to Make Video Calls More Tolerable For You and Your Colleagues. New York Times, 25 Mar 2020

Acknowledgement — sources used to compile this information:

• University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point > CNR Associated Programs > Center for Land Use Education > Plan Commission Workshops
• Wisconsin Towns Association > Clerk & Town Official Resources > Town Options for Meeting Remotely
• League of Wisconsin Municipalities > Coronavirus Resources for Municipalities > Local Government Options for Conducting Meetings Remotely