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Teleconferencing: Delivering Library Service in the 21st Century

Teleconferencing: Delivering Library Service in the 21st Century was a program presented by Ken Behn, Southern Tier Library System, and Jerry Schell, North Country Library System, November 4, 2011, at the New York Library Association annual conference. View a PowerPoint Slide Show [551k] or a .PDF format [586k] version of same. Text of the PowerPoint appears below, along with text of a "checklist" document.

Text from the PowerPoint

Outline

What is teleconferencing?
Definitions
Why should a library consider it?
How does it add value to my library?
Who provides teleconferencing equipment?
How much does it cost?
What are the issues/hurdles to be overcome?

What is teleconferencing?

Real-time exchange of information between two or more sites that are remote from each other, but are linked by a telecommunications system (phone system, Internet, etc.)
- Conference call
- Video conference
  - Simultaneous video and audio
  - Skype – “personal” videoconference
  - For the library – group-to-group, content sharing

Definitions

Codec - “CPU”
- Coder/Decoder
- Video/Audio streams -> data “packets”
- Compression (up to 500:1)
- Single Port/Multi-Port (4 or 8)
Bandwidth
- Capacity of a data connection
- Measured in Mbps or Kbps (Megabits or Kilobits per second)
- Upload (local to remote)/Download (remote to local)
- Asynchronous – Upload speed is different from download speed (Cable, DSL, FiOS)
- Synchronous (10 Mbps x 10 Mbps Ethernet)
Firewall
- A hardware device or software program that regulates the flow of data according to a defined set of rules.
- LAN <-> Firewall <-> Internet
- Default
  - All outbound traffic is permitted
  - All inbound traffic is denied
- IP address – Internet “phone number”
  - Port – IP address “extension” – 65,000+ ports for each address
Connection Methods
- IP – Internet Protocol
- ISDN
  - Dedicated POTS lines that are specially configured to transmit and receive voice, video and data.
  - Fancy dial-up
  - Usually a basic monthly charge + cost of each “call”
  - Expensive!
Bridge
- Multipoint device – up to 48 sites
Gateway
- Connects IP and ISDN sites
Videoconferencing Standards
- H.323 - the master protocol for all VC components
- H.261 – Standard definition video
- H.264 – High definition video
- H.239 – Dual stream video
  - Simultaneous video/desktop sharing

Why Consider it?

Increasing wealth of available content
- www.vccontentproviders.org
- www.cilc.org
Rapid Adoption by Public and Private Entities
- Saves time and money
- Technology has improved
- Becoming easier to use
Revenue Generator
- www.affinityvideo.net

Adding Value

Creates partnerships
- County Fire Coordinators
  - Training for volunteers
- Cooperative Extension
Access to content that would otherwise be unavailable
- Cemetery Class offered by Carthage PCC
Convenience for Job Seekers
- Interview via VC rather than travel

VC Equipment Manufacturers

Polycom
- 45% Market Share (Wainhouse 2011)
Tandberg (Cisco)
- 25% Market Share (Wainhouse 2011)
LifeSize (division of Logitech)
- Smaller but increasing market share
- Sales are increasing 2x rate of overall market

We Chose LifeSize

EASE OF USE!!!
- Minimum support from IT
Best Low-Bandwidth Performance/Quality
- Auto-Adjusts
Easy Setup/Management
- Done via remote or Web browser

Costs

Basic Single Point - $2,500
- Codec (720p30)
- Fixed focus camera
  - Built-in mics
  - Manual pan/tilt
- 3 years maintenance/support
- Display and mobility cart not included
Better Single Point - $7,000
- Codec (1080p30/720p60) w/ dual display ports
- Pan-Tilt-Zoom (PTZ) HD camera
- VoIP phone
- 3 year maintenance and support
- Display and mobility cart not included
4 port Multi-Point - $11,500
- Codec (1080p30/720p60) w/ dual display ports
- Pan-Tilt-Zoom (PTZ) HD camera (has 2 inputs)
- VoIP phone
- 3 year maintenance and support
- Display and mobility cart not included
HD TV or Projector
- Max. Size – (# inches between TV and audience) / 1.5
- Min. Size – inches/3
- Avg. size – inches/2.5
  - 10 feet – 40” min, 48” avg, 80” maximum
- Recommended minimum – 52”
- Go as big as you can
Accessories
- Mobility Cart - $400-$600
Options
- Video Recording and Playback (Streaming)
- Bridges and Gateways
- $1,000’s!

Issues/Hurdles

Bandwidth
- High Definition (up AND down)
  - 720p30 – 768Kbps
  - 720p60 – 1.1 Mbps
  - 1080p30 – 1.7 Mbps
Firewall
- Typical Internet session uses one port
- VC uses one standard port to initiate call.
- Once initial connection established, additional ports are needed for the actual audio/video.
- Ports are dynamically allocated by each codec, and differ for each vendor.
- Making It Work
  - If available, assign a dedicated public IP to VC unit
    - Deny access to admin ports, permit everything else
  - If available, enable H.323 features of firewall
    - Cisco ASA – H.323 inspection
      - Determines what dynamic ports are needed and opens them for duration of VC call
  - Ensure firewall supports H.239 for presentation
    - Software upgrade
Adoption
- “Champion” – not IT person
  - Who handles programming now?
Set up/Tear Down/Reservations
Tech Support
- In-house/library system/vendor
Conference Room
- Wall Color, Lighting
Storage - secure

Contacts

LifeSize: Paul Strawn, Major Accounts Manager, (732) 387-0201;pstrawn @ lifesize.com
Polycom: John Palaszynski, GEM Account Manager, Upstate NY/VT/NH, (518) 783-3852;John.Palaszynski @ polycom.com
Tandberg: Josh Levy, Account Manager, NYS Government, (518) 339-7731;Josh_Levy @ tandberg.com
CDW-G (Reseller of all three brands): Charles Piendl, (866) 819-6502;charpie @ cdw.com
Ken Behn, Information Technology Consultant, Southern Tier Library System, (607) 962-3141 x211; behnk @ stls.org
Jerry Schell, Information Technology Manager, North Country Library System, (315) 782-5540; jschell @ ncls.org

Demo Equipment

LifeSize Passport
PTZ camera
Micpods

LifeSize SoftPhone software

Questions?

Checklist for

Teleconferencing: Delivering Library Service in the 21st Century November 4, 2011

also in .PDF format [146k]

Your Video Conferencing Purchase decision should be based on three factors:

Features and functionality you desire
Your environmental requirements such as room size, lighting, and acoustics
Your budget to support your VC implementation

Your anticipated use will drive your features and function decision.

Your physical environment will determine things like screen size, microphone and sound requirements, and the need for mobility or not.

The equipment is only one part of your overall budget requirements: Installation, Training and Support must also be considered in your total costs.

Before Purchasing:

Have an on-site demo in the room, or a similar room, where the equipment will be located and used.

Have a discussion with the vendor concerning your current bandwidth status, and recommendations or need for additional bandwidth.

Discuss any ancillary costs with the vendor that may have not been itemized on the worksheets, ie. VC Content Libraries.

Data for Decisions

It may be helpful to utilize the Videoconferencing Checklist (below) when assessing various Videoconferencing alternatives.

Videoconference Equipment Checklist

*	Equipment
*	Point to Point Video Conferencing [3] Video conference between two sites
*	Multi-Point Video Conferencing [3] Video Conferencing between 2 or more sites
*	HD Video Camera, no Pan/Zoom/Tilt (PZT) [1]
*	HD Video Camera with Zoom
*	HD Video Camera with Pan/Zoom/Tilt (PZT) [1]
*	Omni-Directional Microphone(s)
*	Integrated VOIP Phone with Microphone(s) & Speaker
*	Simultaneous Data and Video Display
*	Video Display(s)
*	Mobility Cart
*	Environment
*	Room Size
*	Wall Color
*	Lighting
*	Installation, Training and Support [2]
*	Installation
*	Training
*	Support Agreement
*	Other
*	Video Recording Video recording allows recording of a Video Conference session
*	Video Streaming Streaming media technology allows real time or on demand delivery of recorded or stored multimedia.
*	ISDN Broadband Support Required

[1]	May want to consider 2 cameras - 1 facing front, 1 facing rear
[2]	Agreements should be available for review
[3]	Please consult with vendor regarding bandwidth requirements

Last Updated: March 28, 2012

Library Development