Recent technology upgrades have been made to two classrooms at the Health Sciences Library. David Moody, the library’s IT director, explains the changes.

What's new in the classrooms? We've installed a Zoom conferencing system in our Carter and Tolleson classrooms to make hybrid teaching easier. There are now two cameras: one for the presenter and one for the students, which allows remote participants to see both the lecturer and participants in the room. Plus, we've added a new microphone system to ensure clear audio. 

Why did you choose a Zoom conferencing system? One of the main challenges was meeting the varied needs of our users. The solution had to work for in-person training, hybrid meetings on non-Zoom platforms, and include versatile screen sharing for non-classroom purposes. We chose the Zoom system because it's centrally supported, which means better support and ease of use. While using a consumer product means sticking to its design and giving up some control, the benefits of extended support, versatility, and the ability to grow the solution outweigh these limitations.

Does it have any AI features? AI Companion is built into the system to take notes and summarize meetings. 

How can patrons reserve the space, and is support available? To reserve Carter and Tolleson, please use the self-service Resource Scheduler, the library’s Ask Us form, or contact the Service Desk at 434-924-5444, Monday to Friday, 8 AM to 5 PM.

If someone is unfamiliar with the equipment, it is recommended to schedule a meeting with our IT team before the class begins, ideally the day before. A team member will go over the system and ensure compatibility with any equipment the user plans to bring.  Classroom support is available from 8 AM to 4 PM, Monday to Friday. 

Finally, please note that each classroom has a resident PC, so bringing a laptop is optional. The PCs don't require login for basic functions, but clinical tools need hospital login credentials.

For additional information, please contact David Moody, CMHSL IT director, at dam8u@virginia.edu.