blogging

my just created blog is at http://libraryjobsblog.wordpress.com/


Debbie

I found some difficulty in getting started maybe because I have a hard time following instructions! Somehow, words on a paper make sense, but words on a computer screen are difficult for me. They say that practice makes perfect, and I am determined to keep trying. My learning curve looks a bit like Mt. Everest right now.

My patrons are the children. They are the computer generation, so blogging would be easy for them.

My library, Somerset Public, has a blog, and it is maintained by one staff member. It features our programs and events as well as the collection. I can see from reading the article that this format is very suited for such purposes. I hope to increase my use of the blog after this course.

The comment from shughey is really me, Sue Hughey

My blog: http://mrsora.wordpress.com

Carol DeLuca

Kathy, I getting a little nervous about this first week. I had trouble accessing the article and I keep going in circles getting my Blog set up. But in the true spirit of learning I am determined not to fall behind. My log in is my CLAMS email login. I don't really want to use that one because I have a hard time accessing my CLAMS email from home. Is it possible to have my email sent to another of my email addresses?

I have Blogged before with the kids at the high school. We had a blog for our book club. It was just getting started when I retired so I'm not sure if it has continued. I thought it would be a great way to get kids talking about the books they like.

I'd like my theme for this course to be knitting--my blog, my bookmarks in delicious, etc. Is that ok? Since I retired I have returned to my favorite hobby in a big way.

Hi Cynthia,

I sent an invitation to your Verizon account yesterday. However, I think there is a way you can add that e-mail to the Zoho account you already created. If you go to http://accounts.zoho.com, there will be a link in the left sidebar for "My Email IDs." If you click on it, you can change and add e-mail addresses. I'll also update your e-mail address in my records. Is there anything I can help with on the blog setup?

Certainly go ahead and use knitting as your theme. The class will be much more enjoyable if you're working on something you love!

Kathy

Cynthia,

I also meant to mention that most of the links in the class will be to publicly available Web sites. I only use the InfoTrac links when there is no other way to get to the article. Were you eventually able to get to the article using the home access link?

Kathy

Setting up my blog a few days ago took a lot longer than I anticipated because the format is unfamiliar. I kept asking: "What am I looking at?" Today I feel a little better, and looking at classmates' blogs as well as library blogs has been helpful, so I am inspired to keep going.


It is difficult for me to determine if more library users will be blogging or if blogging will bring more library users. Our library blog is maintained faithfully and often, but how do we get followers? Our director thinks that the only blogs that have followers have to do with cooking or knitting.


I would really like to see young adults get involved with the library via a blog.

Carol

The blog I've created is for Raynham Reads 2009 that I think will really be an exciting addition to the program. I plan to use this blog beginning June 1 for comments. We'll need to publicize it extensively - and perhaps do some training with the Book Clubs, but I think we're ready! If we don't move forward, we get left behind!

POSTED BY SEVANS34
I have created a blog using blogger.com before, so I was familiar with the terms that were used. It did help me in some ways, but wordpress is very different. I forgot to change the time zone, so my blog is in London time, and I am not sure how to arrange collumns or even if I can. Yet over all I had an easier time with word press so far. I did have to fight so much.

I think posting to a blog is very easy and people in my library could do it if there is something interesting on the blog.

I think a blog is useful for a library in a lot of ways. They can be used to highlight a collection, inform people about internet sites, book reviews and discuss programs that the library has. It has to be interesting, and focused though. It shouldnt be jumped into with out a real direction.

POSTED BY DWALGREEN

I still have much more to add to my blog. I wish I had more time this week to work on it. The entire book collection in my library had to be moved this week to install a new carpet. I've been terribly busy because I am the only staff member in my library.


I think some students and maybe a handful of faculty would have interest in blogging. I think libraries could use a blog to inform their patrons about events, new books, great websites, books reviews, and much more. After my library is back in order, I would like to work on getting more information on my blog.


Debbie W.

POSTED BY EFERGUSSON

Why We Blog comment: We blog because we want to connect. The library is a perfect medium for blogging because people share a common interest and want to exchange ideas with each another - for the most part. I'm intrigued by the idea of blogging, because I feel that it offers an additional way of connecting that is so much a part of library service, especially in the small public library. There is a large gap - generational(?) - that must be bridged through training. I am excited about the possibilities, and see this as an essential mode of communication going forward. I had an initial concern that people would not respond or know how to blog. I am amazed to learn this morning that someone has already left a comment on my newly created blog! WOW!

POSTED BY djordanwalpole

Hi,


The online tutorial was wonderful! I was fairly slow navigating though, I stopped the video and bounced back and forth a bit.


The original theme I chose did not have the ability to put on links etc. so I changed it.


I get the concept but will definitely have to spend more time practicing until I feel more confident about the process of creating the blog and all it has to offer.


Thanks!

Debbie

I have seen Websites, Blogs, and Blogs within websites; and I am sure there must be websites within blogs. I am still trying to determine what information would be posted to a website, and what would be put on a blog. Carol DeLuca

Very interesting feedback so far! I wanted to reflect more on the question of getting more followers for a blog. To me, the big question is how do you get more followers on your Web site. Because the blog really is just an extension of your Web presence and is something that can be integrated into your site to such an extent that users may use a piece of it without even realizing they're using a blog.

I will use Hyannis as an example since you posed the question, but I just want you to know that your example is a common. When you go to your home page, I see a link for "Library Blog" and it does provide a helpful description of what people will find there. But, as a user, what is really going to make me click on that link to see what is there?

If your blog is a news blog, it makes sense to integrate the blog on your home page since this page is the marketing space for your library. When we get to week 3 of this class (RSS), I include an "explore further" exercise that shows how to take the RSS feed of your blog and republish the top 3 items on your home page.

Why would you use a blog to post news on your home page instead of just editing the home page? I personally can think of a few reasons, but I'm sure others could come up with more.

1- It's much easier to post to a blog than to edit a Web page, which means anyone on staff who has a news item can add it to the blog. (And, as an experienced Web editor, I am more likely to post news items through a blog than to go through the process of opening up Dreamweaver to edit my home page.)

2- The blog comes with an RSS feed, which means your users can "subscribe" to the blog and get news about the library even when they aren't visiting your Web site. Reaching out to users where they are instead of forcing them to come to you is a big theme of this class.

3- You provide users with an opportunity to comment on your blog, promoting interactivity on your Web site. Users are not as likely to post comments on a news blog, but it's nice to make that feature available as people become more participatory in the way they use the Internet.

And I wouldn't worry so much about not having Google Connect followers on your blog. People will not necessarily follow your blog in that fashion. You may have people who simply click on the link when they visit your site, or they could subscribe to your blog's RSS feed.

I think the important thing is that the blog be relevant and be used to fill a particular need. If you're looking for a tool that brings your library's book club discussion online, for example, then a blog may be able to fill that need. But if you don't have a core book discussion group to start with, a blog may not be the best way to start. As Sherry said, it needs to have some kind of direction.

In response to the question of whether a blog will bring new library users, I actually would like to pose that question to the group. Do you think the blog would bring in new users or would it be a way to work with the users you already have?

Both. I'm hoping to attract new users with the RaynhamReads 2009 blog as well as get regular users into blogging. It will be an interesting experiment.

I feel like a fish in water with Blogger and a fish out of water with WordPress ... which is why I really like this course - you are forcing me to stretch! I am having a hard time setting up my blog (but it is truly fun) - WordPress is so much more powerful than Blogger. There are so many interruptions at work (which is a good thing) that it makes it very difficult for me to concentrate and learn new things (which is why I am finally competing my assignment in the quiet of my home).

Most people that I work with are having a hard time mastering Blogger which has puzzled me. But not anymore - I am walking in their shoes via WordPress. Most people at work do not have the luxury of working at home to quietly figure out the ins and outs of blogs.

I've set up a few Blogger blogs for WMRLS and member libraries as well as, collaboratively (with my fellow youth consultants) for youth services librarians. I am proud of these blogs because we are keeping our commitment to update the posts at least weekly and our various blogs are becoming fantastic "ready-reference" resources in the subject fields that they cover.

POSTED BY MLNESSON

I found setting up the blog a little tricky, I had to go back and forth a lot until I got the look I was satisfied with and I am still playing with it.

I found the video to be a bit fast to follow but I was able to start and pause the video and by jumping form one tab to another, do each step one at a time.

I know our staff would not post to a blog regularly. We tried one for staff only and it slowly died for lack of interest ad staff time to even look at it, never mind post to it.

There are plenty of good uses for a blog. I particularly liked the one for the Fletcher School at Tufts University - it looks like a web page, doesn't allow for comments so it stays uncluttered, and provides lots of library information.

I have been trying to start a newsletter just for my department, but now I am considering a blog instead, possibly modeled on the Tufts one.

Re: A Blog's Life

I was particularly interested in this article because it addressed a special library. As A mediccal library, I felt a certain "kinship."

Also, it reminded me so much of the SDI services we provided in the old days: paper messages about relevant articles in paper journals!


Setting up my blog went fairly well, altho the log-in often says my e-mail is not registered--but it lets me in.


Our library has just set up a staff blog on our INTRAnet. We are in the beginning training phases with other staff. We're developing the "guidelines for use:" when do we use the blog vs e-mail? We think that the compiling of responses visible to all and the"archiving" ability of the blog could be very useful--more so than e-mail. We're also launching a staff wiki, forum, and photo upload for the staff intranet.



We host the Regional Medical Library for New England. (RML-NER) That office recently converted its newsletter to a blog. Our main library newsletter is still print + pdf and our staff newsletter is still Word attachment to e-mail. There is concern about just openly releasing content to the public on a blog without a review by a moderator prior to posting. All content for those 3 publications is reviewed prior to posting/printing/e-mailing.


We have not set up a blog specifically for patrons or reference services or "modern SDI."


I'm looking forward to learning from others in the group. (Sorry I'm late!!)



Barb

This is a comment about Eden's blog for the Raynham Reads 2009:


What a great use for a blog!


I don’t belong to any reading groups presently (”Don’t librarians just read all the time?”), but I’ll ask some of my friends who are in groups if they have a blog.


What a great way to “extend discussion” and gather ideas for the face-to-face discussion.


I participated in the BIG READ (NEA-funded); our area read the "Adventures of Tom Sawyer." There was no blog; there was a face-to-face discussion (not too well-attended). Maybe I can suggest a blog for next year’s BIG READ.


Holden's One Holden/One Book is reading "My Most Excellent Year" by Kluger. What fun! And so "local" with its Boston setting. I will be attending the discussion for that book; I'll ask if anyone blogs about what they read.


Thanks!

I think a blog would be a way to work with patron you already have. To inform them about programs, highlight services or collections. I think for me, trying to figure out what kind of focus I want is the hardest part. I lean towards updating happenings because it Having a book group, as Eden put together is an excellent idea!

I originally thought a blog was a good way to get new users, but I wonder if Twitter or Facebook are better way to do that. It seems companies go onto those sights for that purpose.

I started my blog, and I think it is a great idea for a library. Both for staff and patrons. At a larger library I worked at the Reference Desk had a blog to ask questions amongst each other and share things that have happened. It was pretty useful because all staff pretty much worked the desk at some time during the day, despite the department we were in.

I think a blog at my library would be a good way to communicate with the public. I appreciate that it would not be the medium for all our users, but I know that it would reach out to a younger adult audience and teens. I also like the fact that it would enable us to keep up with content in an easier way. Our website needs a re-haul.

I am also afraid of public comment, but my library will never raise its profile without addressing concerns or issues. The truth will set you free?

I thought it was interesting that most of us struggled getting the blog set up. I am not sure I am thrilled with my blog now, but I know that I want to keep it up. Even as a personal blog. It seems like a powerful tool, and I don't feel knowledgeable enough to NOT have the two-way conversation. Because it is more informal, I think it is a nonthreatening way to share information about the library. It is just getting used to fitting another thing in to the day and getting used to wordpress.

Basically, it struck me how much we all want to learn about web 2.0 tools as a way to raise our profiles.