Thing 6: Online Meetings and Webinars

Let me just start by saying that I am a HUGE fan of webinars, which is probably no surprise considering how much I enjoy regular, in-person conferences. I am the kind of person who draws great inspiration from conferences, but considering the budget crunch, it has been more and more difficult to attend as many as I'd like. With schools cutting positions and funding for programs, I don't always feel comfortable asking them to pay big bucks for me to attend a conference. I know it may be a drop in the bucket in terms of budget, but in my mind, it's a small thing for me to give up (unless I think the conference is really important - then I try to make it happen). Anyway, my point is that webinars are an inexpensive, fun, and convenient alternative.
That said, I do think there are some drawbacks to webinars. The sound is not always great, and almost all webinars I have "attended" have experienced some sort of technical issue, even if it was just a small issue. I also find that I prefer webinars that are "one-way." I don't want to monkey with speakers and microphones; I'm happy watching and listening, although I don't mind a side-bar with a chat option.
I think one of the best sources of webinars is Booklist. I love that they archive each one and allow you to watch it after. I can't really take time out of the school day to participate in a webinar - there is too much to do at school! I was able to attend a live "What's Next? Book Buzz K-5" Booklist webinar. It included 4 different publishers talking about new and upcoming books. It was interesting because some publishers were much more interesting and informative than others. I liked that I could really see book covers, which might not have happened in at a "for real" conference. I also watched an archived webinar from Infopeople on Teen Lit, which was very good.
Ultimately, I don't think anything compares to an actual conference. Meeting other professionals and participating in discussions isn't as easy online. However, I think webinars are a suitable supplement, and I will continue to seek them out.