The restrictions imposed by COVID19 have challenged all who work in academia, and particularly those who work with material sources like medieval manuscripts, to reconsider normal practices of research exchange and how they might transfer to the online environment. Rather than slavishly replicating previous in-person formats which are invariably less effective when staged virtually, we have the chance instead to think creatively about how to capitalize on the digital medium, to investigate why people already willingly dedicate so much of their time to computer-based forms of communication. By identifying and co-opting what makes some kinds of virtual exchange successful, we can inspire new forms of academic exchange that re-invent rather than mimic older forms of teaching, research, and learning.