The idea of TL News Night started with a direct tweet from
Michelle Cooper, moderator of the Texas Librarians Chat (
#txlchat) two weeks before the first show aired.
Eighty-seven tweets, several phone calls, and a few Google Hangouts later TL News Night was formed. The first order of business was to come up with a name and/purpose/mission for the show. Michelle and I knew that we wanted the show to be different from anything else going on currently in the TL Community. We quickly decided we wanted "
The View" style format that provided in depth discussions of relevant school library topics as well as information about upcoming school library events.
Next up was getting other school librarians on board. Michelle and I started brainstorming people in our PLN but also wanted to be sure we gave Teacher-Librarians not as well know in the TL Community an opportunity to step forward as leaders. We also wanted to be sure that each grade level was represented. It didn't take long before we had assembled a stellar team.
Nikki D Robertson- High School Librarian
Elissa Malespina - Middle Grades Librarian
Tamara Cox - Middle Grades Librarian
Sue Levine - Elementary School Librarian
Shannon Miller- Elementary School Librarian
The name for the show, as many of you who have started blogs will relate, was one of the hardest things to decide. We tossed several names around but it was ultimately
Gwyneth Jones who helped us settle on TL News Night. The name was decided on just hours before the TL Virtual Cafe announced the premiere of TL News Night! Whew!
I have to give a warm shout out to my favorite librarian from beautiful Hawaii,
Linda Lindsay, who
blogged about TL News Night before it ever aired. XOXO
The next order of business was to develop a basic structural outline for the show. A few tweaks here and there gave us the following format:
- Introduction (5 minutes)
- The news team
- The Show's purpose/mission
- How to participate LIVE
- Official Show Hashtag: #tlchat
- A topical "HOT" library issue decided upon by guest experts from a state library association (25 minutes)
- A wrap up of “This Month in School Libraries” (10 minutes)
- The News Team review
- TL Virtual Cafe Webinar review
- #TLChat LIVE review & highlights
- News you submit (see Google Form)
- Highlight a state library association (10 minutes)
- Title | Tool | Takeaway- This segment features a book, an app or web tool & a takeaway (10 minutes)
For our first show we wanted to address the drastic cuts affecting school libraries across the nation. This lead us to the New York Library Association. Sara Kelly Johns, Stephanie Rosalia, and Sue Kowalski were a delight. We practiced using Google Hangouts and had fun getting to know each other and generating ideas for the upcoming show. Stephanie did not have a webcam or microphone but managed to get one the day before we aired despite recovering from a recent surgery.
The night before the show the TL News Night anchors did a dry run through through a private Google Hangout just to work through any questions anyone on the team had with how to use Google Hangouts and to review the script one last time.
When I woke up the morning of the TL News Night Premiere I checked my Facebook account and saw this post from
Vicki Davis (aka: Cool Cat Teacher) and knew that it was perfect for our inaugural show.
Getting more nervous by the hour as I went about my many library duties I was relieved when the time finally arrived to get "on air". I started the Google Hangout about 15 minutes before show time and the team as well as our special guest experts from New York were set and ready to go. About 5 minutes before the start of the show we realized we all had a faulty connection. We crossed our fingers, ENDED the Google Hangout, and a new Google Hangout invite was sent to all participants. Two minutes before air time we were all back on, "suited up" and ready to go.
Those watching the LIVE broadcast could comment and ask questions several ways. They could tweet using the hashtag #tlchat, use the new Q&A GHO feature, or comment on the Google Events page.
In preparation for our first show I made an little tutorial instructing viewers how to participate LIVE during the show: