Last year, Mona Kerby, author of "Owney, the Mail-Pouch Pooch," spoke to second-graders in Sarah Chauncey's library at Grand Elementary School in Rockland County outside New York City.

It was a big hit. But the school didn't have the funds this year to sponsor a return engagement.

So Sarah proposed that Mona visit via Skype video calling. Sarah said it was a hit. She said there is a certain mystery surrounding a visitor from outside the school appearing on the whiteboard in the library.
Students cheered when Mona appeared on the board. They interviewed Mona about the process of writing and publishing a book.
Thus was born an idea: Skype An Author, a Wiki to connect authors with schools and libraries.

In a matter of months, 30 authors have signed up.
"Our goal is to set up a network of authors who would be willing to participate in short Skype conversations with students in classrooms and libraries. This Wiki provides a page for each author who joins the network," said Sarah. "A template has been designed to ensure consistency of content among authors and to keep things simple for authors, teachers, and librarians. The author pages provide procedural and contact information."
Here's an example.

Author visits are arranged via email and/or phone between the author and the teacher and/or librarian. Authors appear free in 10- to 15-minute "meet" sessions. Authors set the rate for 30- to 60-minute visits.

Mona is spreading the word among other authors. And Sarah, who helps authors prepare for Skype, plans to make publishers aware.