Liblogarian Annual LIS symposium 2008 Annette le Roux

Liblogarian

Annual LIS symposium2008Annette le Roux

What is a blog?

Definition: Blog?Definition: Blog?

Short form of web log, also weblog

‘a webpage containing brief, chronologically arranged items of information’ – Canadian weblog expert Peter Scott

‘a cross between a diary, a website and an online community’ - Theresa Ross Embrey

Laurel Clyde is of the Laurel Clyde is of the opinion that to try and opinion that to try and

define a blog is “an define a blog is “an exercise in futility .. as exercise in futility .. as

the weblog scene is the weblog scene is changing all the time” changing all the time”

History

1994 – Justin Hall - student 17 December 1997 – Jorn

Barger coined “weblog” Peter Merholtz created

“blog” first librarian to operate own first librarian to operate own

blog blog Jenny Levine – Jenny Levine – Site Du Site Du JourJour - - 19951995

What is the purpose of a blog?

Purpose of a blogPurpose of a blog

purely personal publishing

diaries, personal thoughts

“self-obsessed ramblings of people who have little to say” Giles Turnbull

NowNow

personal journal community space for

learners or . . . any community

with a shared interest business use -

advertising can contain text, videos,

music, art

Why are blogs popular?

ReasonsReasons software & blogging tools

– simplifies the process of writing & publishing

– creating and editing blog entries is no more difficult than sending an email!

chronological arrangement of items – most recent first

blog archives, grouping permalinks

Reasons Reasons (2)(2)

reaction and comments of other bloggers

linking to other blogs webs of communication networks of dynamic

communities socialising - fellowship feeling therapeutic benefits

Dangers of blogging

political dangers – Jan Pronk (UN) in the Sudan

personal safety – Kathy Sierra

defamation law suits

How do you create a blog?

Creating a blog

many different software packages available

various free templates on the internet– . . . Blogger, Wordpress,

Movable Type, etc register as a user and start

blogging

Why blogs in Why blogs in a library?a library?

Public library blogs

devoted to children and teenagers

often described as “teen pages” or “teen news” – linked to reading activities

new books arrival events at the library

Client preferences

more clients start to prefer this way of communicating – lecturers as well as students

generation X; Y, millennials interactivity

Creative librariansCreative librarians

librarians continuously look librarians continuously look for for innovative ways to reach innovative ways to reach patronspatrons

provide quick information to provide quick information to patronspatrons

often librarians are unable to often librarians are unable to update their library web sitesupdate their library web sites

without IT departmentwithout IT department

Easy communicationEasy communication

publish instantly to the publish instantly to the internet internet from any internet from any internet connectionconnection

moblogging

Subject librarian & blogsSubject librarian & blogs

additional way of reaching academic staff

links to other sites – of links to other sites – of interest to interest to academic staffacademic staff

collection development – new collection development – new books – books – reviews, reviews,

discussionsdiscussions RSS feeds (readers) – quick RSS feeds (readers) – quick

alertsalerts

Some examples

To blog or not to blog?To blog or not to blog?

A blog can be a very useful A blog can be a very useful tool for communicating new tool for communicating new

ideas and thoughts to a ideas and thoughts to a large number of people large number of people

quicklyquickly

From a LIS perspective a blog From a LIS perspective a blog can be used to broadcast can be used to broadcast

useful info to clients in any useful info to clients in any specific subject area or it can specific subject area or it can be geared towards a general be geared towards a general

audience within the communityaudience within the community

Aspects to keep in mind

hosting of site & cost of software one person or a group? training of staff frequency of updating – time

consuming one way communication or

interactive? what do users want of a library

blog? policies

Thank you

Any questions?

Annette le Rouxlrouxha@unisa.ac.za