Kicking off ‘The NewsVroom: A Year at the York County Libraries’
As 2013 kicks off a new year, the York Daily Record/Sunday News is kicking off a new series of programs — The NewsVroom: A Year at the York County Libraries.
Once a month, hyperlocal and web journalist Brittany Wilson and I (Sarah Chain, books editor) will bring our mobile media van, the NewsVroom, to a branch of the York County libraries. We’ll present programs on anything from understanding social media to best blogging practices.
Our intention is to interact and connect with our community while also educating them about new tools and technology we use to uncover and share the news — and how these practices can benefit our readers as well.
This month, we kick off in Dover.
Brittany and I will be joined by business reporter Lauren Boyer at Dover Area Community Library on Jan. 16, meeting with Girl Scout Troop #20915 led by Jackie Smith. The Cadettes — girls in grades six through eight — will learn about the different tools a reporter might use on any given day: a smartphone to shoot photos or Tweet updates, an iPad to shoot video or take notes, or a trusty notepad and pen. We’ll also talk about the elements of a strong news story.
The girls will then have an opportunity to use their skills in reporting their own story. A bonus? Brittany’s 5-year-old beagle, Emma, will join us as our interview subject.
In February, we’ll head down to Paul Smith Library of Southern York County with social media coordinator Buffy Andrews for a session on social media — what the different platforms are (Facebook, Twitter, etc.) and how they operate, how we use them here at the York Daily Record/Sunday News and how you can use them to share your information. Everyone from authors to grandparents to organization leaders is welcome — stay tuned for details.
Why are we doing all this? Because we believe that the NewsVroom can serve as a great traveling classroom — and by focusing on topics that you are interested in, we can share a bit about how we operate while also benefiting our community and helping them to understand the digital transformation of news.
Have questions on The NewsVroom: A Year at the York County Libraries? Leave a comment here or shoot us an email at schain@ydr.com or bwilson@ydr.com.
(A version of this post also appears on Book Buzz.)