Blogging for Librarians

November 3, 2005, Warwick Public Library
Office of Library and Information Services Continuing Education

Karen Mellor, RI Office of Library and Information Services
karenm[at]gw.doa.state.ri.us

Amy Skolnik, Exeter Public Library
amysk[at]lori.state.ri.us

Weblog (blog) basics

• Chronologically arranged entries
• Permalinks
• Archives
• Searchable
• Blogroll
• Comments
• RSS (really simple syndication)
• Example: It’s all good

Why blog?

• Online publishing for the masses
• Real time, really simple
• Free blog hosting and blog tools readily available
• Got ideas? Got news? Blog!
• No library website? Get a blog!
• Great way to do PR

Blogs vs. websites

• Don’t need to know HTML coding
• Don’t need your own web server, web editing software, webmaster . . .
• Don’t have to (knowingly) upload files to publish online (ftp)
• “push-button publishing” – anywhere, any time
• More dynamic than typical website

Blogging opportunities

• News and information about the library
• Book reviews, book awards, information about new books
• Book discussions (interactive)
• Links to recommended Internet resources
• Research tips
• News or information for library trustees
• Communication among librarians (private)
• Reach non-users

Blogging tools

• Blog hosting: free online services
  e.g., Blogger, Xanga
  Weblogs Compendium: Blog hosting
  http://www.lights.com/weblogs/hosting.html

• Blog serving: host your own blog
  e.g., WordPress, Movable Type
  Weblogs Compendium: Blog tools
  http://www.lights.com/weblogs/tools.htm

Blogger

• 1999: Pyra Labs started the push-button publishing revolution
• 2002: bought by Google
• Free online blog hosting service
• Simple to use, yet flexible
• Add-ons and advanced features
• Well-documented
• Sign up for a Blogger account

Blogger basics

• Dashboard
• Posting and editing
• Settings (publishing, formatting, comments)
• Templates and “skins”
• Email: email to a friend (under basic settings); notification (under email)
• Blog this (add to browser toolbar)

Advanced Blogger

• Editing the template
• Word verification - reduce comment spam
• Multi-blogs - blog within a blog
• Blogger hacks
• Add-ons– Blogger for MS Word
  – Hit counters

Developing your blog

• Design blog and accompanying policies and guidelines
• Soft launch - ask peers, co-workers to review
• Seek organizational approval as necessary
• Unleash blog on world
• Market
• Keep it fresh

Blogging policies and guidelines

• Define blog purpose (mission, scope)
  - St. Joseph Country PL
• Establish guidelines for blog content
• Establish guidelines for comments
  - Free Range Librarian
• Editorial process
• Frequency of posts
• Blog/individual authorship (“About”)
• Institutional connection (link)
• Contact information
• Disclaimer (Rhodarian)

Writing tips and techniques

• Keep posts brief
• Make writing accessible (casual)
• Develop a personality, be consistent
• Check your facts and your spelling
• Ten Things a Blogging Librarian Must Do (Michael Stephens)
• Finding inspiration

Blogging ethics

• Blog represents you, your institution, and librarianship in general
• Web publishing is a powerful tool
• Don’t write about patrons, co-workers, quote emails, etc, without permission
• Free Range Librarian, Blogging Ethics (Karen Schneider)
• Blogger’s Code of Ethics (Cyberjournalist.net)

Five rules to blog by

Karen Schneider, Internet Librarian 2005

1. Transparency
2. Cite it
3. Get it right
4. Be fair
5. Admit mistakes

Marketing the Blog

• Press release / local paper
• Link on website (don’t have to call it a blog)
• Feature in newsletter
• Bookmarks, flyers, signature files, anywhere your website URL is
• Use the web and blogosphere

Web marketing

• Turn on Blogger features:
  – instant email (email to a friend)
  – turn on RSS feeds
  – add to Blogger listings
  – subscribe to your blog via your Bloglines account
• Add your blog headlines to your homepage via RSS (LORI)
• Integrate blog with library website
• Automatic Posting and Notification Systems
• Pinging: notification service used to track blog changes (subscribe/automatic)
  www.weblogs.com
  ping-o-matic.com
• Blogosphere instantly notified when you update
• Trackbacks (Blogger=backlinks): who’s linking to your blog

Who’s talking about your blog?

• Technorati (also, what people are talking about online)
• Talkdigger

Tips and Tricks

• Adding photos
  Hello www.hello.com
  Picasa www.picasa.com
  Flickr www.flickr.com
• Recommending a book? Link to your catalog entry (and add a link to your catalog or catalog search box)
• Embedding your blog’s RSS feed: Feed2js

Blog Examples and Directories

• Marin County Free Public Library
• Roselle Public Library: Blogger Book Club
• Pawtucket Public Library: In the Teen Zone
• Creating community
  > Ann Arbor District Library: Teens
  > AADL Director’s Blog
• Blogging Libraries (blogwithoutalibrary.net)
• Library Weblogs (libdex)
• LORI’s LIS Weblogs (individual bloggers)
• Library Related Blogs in Rhode Island

Additional resources

• BlogBib:Blogging@Your Library
• L. Anne Clyde, Weblogs and Libraries (Chandos, 2004)
• Elizabeth Castro, Publishing a Blog with Blogger (Peachpit, 2005)
• Why and How to Use Blogs to Promote Your Library's Services (Darlene Fichter)
• Why weblogs? (Weblogg-ed)
• LORI: Blogs, RSS and Data Syndication
• blogWriting (KM’s del.icio.us bookmarks)