The Blogging ExplosionLibraries and Weblogs
Darlene Fichter
University of Saskatchewan
The Education Institute
January 18, 2005
Overview
What are weblogs? How easy is it to publish? Library weblog tour Blog dissection Choosing blogging software
What is it?
A blog / weblog is A web page containing brief entries arranged
chronologically Can be like
A journal or diary ‘What’s New’ page A page of interesting links
“To me, the blog concept is about three things: Frequency, Brevity, and Personality.”
Evan Williams (creator of Blogger)
Weblogs are more
They have been called personal web publishing communities*
Weblogs don’t stand alone Relate / link to other blogs and the world Connect people together with a common
interest
*Dave Winer http://newhome.weblogs.com/personalWebPublishingCommunities
Terminology
Blogger – person who maintains a blog Blogging – the act of creating a blog Blogrolling – moving from blog to blog Blogrolodex – a listing of other blogs Blogorrhea – hundreds of posts per day about
anything Blawgs, Klogs …
Blogosphere – Pew Internet and Life
8 million American adults say they have created blogs
Blog readership jumped 58% in 2004 and now stands at 27% of internet users
62% of internet users say they do not know what a blog is
The State of Blogging 1/2/2005 http://www.pewinternet.org/PPF/r/144/report_display.asp
Blogging explosion
2000-2004 Tools that made it easy to publish No need to know HTML No need to know FTP Add / edit content anywhere, anytime
Dozens of features – dynamic, quick and easy to develop
Millions worldwide
Trivia: Can you guess the most popular word searched on the Merriam-Webster dictionary
site in 2004?
Blogs are in the news
Lots of media hype Google bought Blogger Blogs and 911 Blogs and US election Corporate use of blogs
Sun Microsystems, Microsoft, Macromedia, Salon, …
Library weblogs
Hundreds of library and librarian weblogs
Finding Library Weblogs
http://library.usask.ca/~fichter/weblog/library_weblogs.html
http://www.blogwithoutalibrary.net/links.html
How easy is it to publish?
1. Login
2. Type your entry
3. Publish it!
Type and Publish Post
Simple Formatting
Options
Blog post as part ofanother page
Questions
Tour
10 ways to use weblogs
1. News Recommend internet sites & tools New acquisitions, databases
Promote it!
2. Marketing Promote library events and programs Let visitors subscribe via email Distribute headlines (RSS)
My Pick: Announce movies, link to trailers, reviews
Get interactive
3. Talk back Books you like Let users post reviews and comments
Internal communications
4. Library-wide or departmental Announcements News
Share knowledge
5. Share information Best practices – “know-how” Use for a committee, enable the “comment
feature” Presentation Blogging for Knowledge Exchange
Projects
6. Project blog Post items for comment using the blog
Upload plans or documents Post documents for revision rather than using
Track Changes in Word Automate useful links on your web site
Set up topics Post new links or recommended sites Use for staff or public
Professional development
7. Professional / personal development Reflective nature, adds focus
8. Résumé Professional blog Write about your interests and what you find
interesting
Solve email overload
9. Project tracking and management Record decisions List next steps and action items Post items for discussion between meetings or for
feedback Keep an open, transparent record of the project
Be a leader
10. Community development Collect and syndicate local [city] news and events
or university or college happenings Be everywhere Set up and host blogs for everyone
Blogging and libraries
Lots of opportunities for libraries and librarians
Lightweight content management solution Easy to publish Inexpensive (free) Multiple contributors Lighten web maintenance workload
Guerilla KM tool Help experts share their knowledge with
others
Questions
Exploring weblog features
Data Library Blog - staff news and information for the data library How do I … Where to look Procedures and
policies – fire drills Passwords for
resources
Basic blog layout
Blog Title
Blog Entry
Side Menu
A close look at a post
Title
Description
TopicsAuthor
More details
Title
Description
CommentsPosting Time
Permanent Link
Side menu
Search
Archives: Date
Archives: Topic
More side menu options
Headlines
Monthly Archives
Links to Other Sites
Headlines in XML
Weblogs allow you to “syndicate” your headlines or full entries as XML or RSS feeds entries.
Other features
Draft mode Off line editing Spellchecking Timed release Long entries Multiple blogs Track back
Questions
Choosing blogging software
Lots of options Dive in and try a few for free:
Blogger, Blogsome, Typepad
Types of blogs
Solo Community blogs
Slashdot – news for nerds LISNews.com
Librarian and information science news
Locally or remotely hosted?
Hosted Blogger Blogsome Typepad $$ LiveJournal
Local Server ExpressionEngine $$ Movable Type (Free & $$) WordPress
Local installation
Pros Control – preserve your
data Uptime dependent on
your server Most need access to
server to install Often have to upgrade
software to get new features
Usually upload pictures and files
Cons Less control – may
loose data if blog host disappears
Uptime dependent on a remote “free” service
No technical support needed for installation
Other factors
Features and functions Search, spell check, multiple authors, …
Server platform Unix or Windows or MAC IT help Scripting languages
Security and privacy
Blogging Software for Intranet Applications. ONLINE, January 2003
Finding out more
Weblogs Compendium Finding Library Weblogs Weblogs - Organizational, Workplace and
Enterprise Blogs Articles:
Why and How to Use Blogs to Promote Your Library's Services – Nov / Dec 2003 Marketing Library Services
Questions
