Download - Wordpress Basics
WordPress Crash Course:What is it and how can your library use it?
June 14, 2012
Polly-Alida Farrington
Amanda Goodman
flickr.com/photos/ericmmartin/2986187518
Big thanks to:• Kyle Jones• Amanda Goodman• Dan Freeman
alatechsource.org/
Today’s topics
• What is WordPress • What’s a Content Management System• Sites that use WordPress• Why WordPress is a great choice for libraries• Flavors of WordPress • Nuts and Bolts of WordPress• Menus and navigation options• Security and site administration• Getting help: the WordPress community
“…having a web presence, no–
that having a really good and
really useful web presence–is
[no longer] optional.
Joyce Valenza, “Things I think teacher librarians should unlearn (20 & counting)”, August 24th, 2010
Photo CC by Caveman http://flic.kr/p/66Q4Xo
WordCamp 2006!
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3036/2913018697_ccbb33e993_b.jpg
What is WordPress?
Open Source is Unlocked
www.flickr.com/photos/subcircle/500995147/
Open Source is Community
www.flickr.com/photos/thomashawk/170691672
Content Management System
http://www.flickr.com/photos/atibens/4578260998/
Header
FeatureSlider
Sidebar
News Post
News Post
Sidebar
Header
Who uses WordPress?
http://en.wordpress.com/stats/ (as of 2012 May 27)
http://trends.builtwith.com/cms (as of 2012 May 27)
http://www.perthzoo.wa.gov.au/
http://www.qcrg.net/
Why WordPress?
Web Based Admin
Spread the work around
Easy to add contributors
Simpler admin for contributors
Easy to add external content
Invite & control commenting
Users access content their way
Mobile-friendly
http://hacklibschool.wordpress.com http://android.wordpress.org/
Creativity & Flexibility
www.flickr.com/photos/nattu/895220635/
Before WordPress
www.flickr.com/photos/24842486@N07/4375175725/
After WordPress
www.flickr.com/photos/glaciertim/4380929192/
Flavors of WordPress
Hosted for Free
WordPress.com -- Hosted
Premium Themes
Self-Hosted
Self-Hosted In House
• Cost of server• Maintenance• IT support• Unlimited possibilities
Self-HostedCommercial Service
• Around $10-20/month• Easy install• Tech support
For more hosts: http://wordpress.org/hosting/
Technical Requirements
• Current WordPress Version 3.3.2• Linux & Apache (preferred)• MySQL version 5.0 or greater • PHP version 5.2.4 or greater
MultiSite Install
BuddyPress.org
Interview with Michael Stephens & Kenley Neufeld about BuddyPress in the classroom: http://bit.ly/wpbuddypress
Let’s Build a Site
Posts News articles, timely, up-to-date, frequently changing.
Pages Static pages, timeless info, about, contact, policies, services, etc.
Comments Notes from your readers
Basic Types of Content
3rd Party Content
More about: Plugins
Add functionality & features
WordPress.com StatsRequires API code from WordPress.com
http://wordpress.org/extend/plugins/stats/
Akismet
Requires API code from WordPress.com http://wordpress.org/extend/plugins/akismet/
OpenBook Book Data
johnmiedema.ca/portfolio/openbook-wordpress-plugin/
WP Contact Form Plugin
http://wordpress.org/extend/plugins/wp-contact-form/
http://wordpress.org/extend/plugins/the-events-calendar/
Events & Calendars
http://eventespresso.com/
More about: Themes
Themes
http://wordpress.org/extend/themes/
Modify a theme
Change color & size
Inspect Element
Child Themes
http://wpcharity.com/
More about: Security & Site Administration
Don’t leave the door unlocked
Run the latest version
www.flickr.com/photos/maistora/3237164755
Keep it Safe
Back it up!
Backup your database:Via web host control panelOr wp-db-backup plugin
(wordpress.org/extend/plugins/wp-db-backup/)
FTP to server & make a copy of this directory: /wp-content
WordPress in LibrariesExamples
(http://lib20.pbworks.com/classes-wordpress-websites)
http://friendsofspl.wordpress.com
http://cheshirelibrary.org/
http://library-online.org.uk/
http://library.sbcc.edu/
http://libraries.umw.edu/
http://library.arlingtonva.us/
http://library.castilleja.org/
http://tscpl.org/
More about: Getting Started
Start Playing!
• WordPress.comGreat place to play, test and maybe host your live site
• InstantWP.comDownload to your PC and run self-hosted WordPress server locally
• WebEnabled.com30-day free trial of hosting
• Bitnami.orgDownload to your PC or Mac and run self-hosted WordPress server locally
Getting Help
• WordPress Codex http://codex.wordpress.org/
• WordPress Forums http://wordpress.org/support/
• WordPress FAQ’s http://codex.wordpress.org/FAQ
• New to WordPress? http://codex.wordpress.org/FAQ_New_To_WordPress
Selected WP Books
• Digging into WordPress by Jeff Starr & Chris Coyier (digwp.com)
• Beginning WordPress 3 by Stephanie Leary
• Smashing WordPress by Thord Hedengren
Thank you!
More information & resources athttp://lib20.pbworks.com/classes-wordpress-websites
Amanda [email protected]
http://www.godaisies.com
Polly-Alida Farrington [email protected]
http://www.pafa.net