Using Skype in Your Library

When you think of an author visit at your library, something like this probably comes to mind:



But what if it looked more like this?



Services such as Skype or Google Hangouts are good for more than just face-to-face conversations. they can also be used in your library to facilitate an author visit that might not otherwise be possible.

Doing author visits via Skype is a wonderful way to give students the opportunity to interact with an author, and there are several reasons why Skyping is often even better than a real visit. It may sound counter intuitive, but Skype visits can be more intimate. Authors usually Skype from their own homes or workplaces, allowing students to see the author's creative environment up-close. Skype calls are also much less expensive than traditional author visits. There is no need for the school to pay for travel or lodging for the visiting author, which will save a few hundred dollars.

So are you ready to set up your first author Skype visit? Here are a few websites that can help you find an author and get in touch:

• https://education.skype.com/partners/14-penguin-books
• http://teacher.scholastic.com/products/tradebooks/inviteanauthor.htm
• http://www.katemessner.com/authors-who-skype-with-classes-book-clubs-for-free/

After finding an author to Skype with, there are some things you can do before and during the visit to ensure everything goes smoothly (adapted from ALA's Checklist for a successful Skype with an author).

1. Make all of your email communication with the author very clear and specific. Put the name of your school and "Skype" as the subject line, and include all of your contact information in every email you send. This makes it easier for the author to remember who you are (many authors deal with more than one school at a time), and facilitates easy inbox searching on their end. 
2. Visit the author's website to see if they have any special instructions regarding Skype visit scheduling. make sure you specify the type of session (Q and A, workshop, or presentation) ages of participants, number of participants, length of session, and date and time (keep time zone differences in mind). Ask permission if you would like to record the call or take photographs at the event, and make sure to be specific about who will initiate the call. 
3. Before the call, Skype someone else from your library to make sure that the webcams are working properly and that the call is clear. If you are planning on using a hand-held microphone, test that as well. 
4. As with all author visits, it is a good idea to make sure all of the students have read the book that the author will be discussing, and have them write down questions to ask the author. It may also be helpful to let students rehearse asking their questions, and to review the questions beforehand. 
5. Make sure you have the author's phone number on hand, so that you can contact them in the event of technical difficulties. 
6. During the Skype visit, make sure that the students are having the best experience possible. Place the screen where everyone can see the author, and where the author can see them as well. make sure to keep the call within the agreed time. 

Skype calls are an easy and fun way to get an author into your library. So, what are you waiting for?