Have you heard of ZoomRooms? Did you know we have a ZoomRoom here at Kendal?

A ZoomRoom is a specific combination of special hardware and an enhanced version of Zoom that make it relatively easy to hold a hybrid meeting (that is, a meeting with some participants in the room, and some on Zoom). But it only works in a room that has been equipped with the required hardware and software. Kendal’s Conference Room has now been set up as a ZoomRoom. (The same is true of the Crosslands Conference Room, I am told.)

Our ZoomRoom setup is appropriate for a hybrid meeting that, in pre-pandemic days, might have been held in person in the Conference Room or a room of similar size. It will be particularly useful for committee meetings that involve Kendal residents (in person) as well as residents at Crosslands, Cartmel, or Conniston (on Zoom).

Hybrid meetings can involve a lot of complexity, but the ZoomRoom avoids much of it. You’ll still need to know how to schedule a Zoom meeting using your Zoom account, and how to use Kendal’s on-line scheduling system to reserve the Conference Room, but that’s about it. With Connie Dilley’s help, Jan and I did a test of the ZoomRoom capability, and we were impressed. You can download a document with the details of our test, and instructions on how you can use the ZoomRoom facility by clicking here.

In addition to the Conference Room, there are plans to install the ZoomRoom hardware and software in the Multipurpose Room and the Training Room later this year.