If you are new to “virtual” events, don’t worry. You will get the hang of it in no time!
Until the Covid 19 emergency ends and we are back to “normal”, regularly scheduled Tuesday Muse events will be hosted on Zoom. We will also have a weekly Virtual Poetry Salon on Monday evenings hosted by Elynn Alexander at 8 PM EST. That will also be on Zoom.
We will add events on Facebook, and those will always have the sign in instructions. If you have trouble finding them, you can email us or message the pages. (Lehigh Valley Poetry, Tuesday Muse, etc.)
You can also use the Lehigh Valley Poets facebook group to reach out and ask your questions. NOTE: There is a post on this website with events and information. Facebook is typically the most current source, on the event pages there.
Zoom:
It is free for you to be a participant on a zoom call or meeting. You can also get a free account if you want short meetings.
Zoom provides a virtual meeting space, with video and phone capabilities. You do not have to use the video feature. You can use your phone like a call and listen, you can use your phone with the camera, you can use the Zoom app, or you can use a computer.
Zoom events usually have an event or meeting ID and link. You can also use the “one tap” feature from a smart phone.
There is a “help” page with links to videos and FAQ here.
How a “virtual event” will typically go:
- Get the invitation link, or the event ID number. This will likely be found on a facebook event page, or it might be in an email sent to you.
- Look for the information on time, and link to join.
3. There might be a password for some events. For Tuesday Muse, it is “muse”. For the LVP salon, it is “poetry”.
4. To join by phone, you can also use the phone number provided or “one tap” which will dial them all for you.
5. If you have used Zoom before on your computer, then you might have the application already downloaded. You might be prompted to “launch” the application. There might be an option to join from your browser, which will open up a window to participate.
6. If you are early, you might not see anything until the host logs on. If you choose to use video, then you might be asked to “test” out your camera. NOTE: You can always shut off your camera, or mute your sound with buttons on the bottom left of your Zoom screen.
7. If you are nervous about the camera and are worried about shutting it off (say, your kid comes into the room) you can use this button but another trick is to have something to block your camera. This is usually a circle at the top of laptops, or a camera attached to a computer. Every computer is different, so if you need help, reach out.
8. For Tuesday Muse and LVP Poetry Salon, Facebook Messenger will be available to respond to you on the day of these events so you can reach out, ask questions, etc. It is best to try to do that before the virtual event.
9. Usually, participants are asked to mute themselves using the mute button on the bottom of the screen. There is a chat box, so if you are muted by a host, you can send a message. Hopefully, there is no reason to do that.
The most common reason to mute everyone is when there is a lot of background interference, and noise while somebody else is talking.
