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Learn why using a blog is important for libraries, how to choose the right blogging software, install WordPress, customize it with themes and plugins, and find useful WordPress resources.
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Library Blogs using WordPress Greg Sennema Electronic Services Librarian Wilfrid Laurier University Session 1318
Library Blogs using WordPress • why use a blog • choosing blog software • what is WordPress • installing WordPress • using WordPress • customizing WordPress – themes • customizing WordPress – plugins • WordPress resources
Why use a Blog • More than just a personal story platform… • Organizational stories, news, highlights • Parse content maintenance to staff • Parse content into web site, make current • Picked up in blog search engines • RSS is a core function of a blog
Choosing Blog software • Criteria for choosing blogging software? • what are the required technical skills needed to install and edit • what does it offer for site navigation: pages, categories • can posts be easily created and modified • can pictures and multimedia be easily uploaded • can posts and comments be displayed, turned on/off • can posts be moderated before published • can the blog generate RSS feeds • can the appearance and layout be easily changed • is there technical support • is it locally or remotely hosted • does it provide usage statistics
Choosing Blog software • “We need to get up and running quickly, without technical skills…” • WordPress (hosted) • TypePad $ • “We want to tailor the blog, and someone technical can help set it up, • but non-tech-savvy folks will be posting.” • Blogger • TypePad $ • WordPress (installed) • “Our organization is pretty technical all around, and we want the most • flexibility in a blogging tool.” • WordPress (installed) • TextPattern • ExpressionEngine $ Source: “Getting Started with Blogging Software” www.idealware.org/blogging_software
Choosing Blog software Hosted or Installed?
Choosing Blog software (free, hosted) Source: “Getting Started with Blogging Software” www.idealware.org/blogging_software
Choosing Blog software (free, hosted) Blogger.com WordPress.com • owned by • appearance easily customized • navigation bar • no categories • large open source community • choose from 54 themes ($ to edit) • no navigation bar • categories
Choosing Blog software (free, installed) Source: “Getting Started with Blogging Software” www.idealware.org/blogging_software
Choosing Blog software (free, installed) evolution WordPress.com • supports multiple blogs • appearance easily customized • categories • small (but growing) user group • single blog per install • appearance easily customized • categories • large user group
What is WordPress • WordPress started in 2003 [and] has grown to be the largest self-hosted • blogging tool in the world, used on hundreds of thousands of sites and • seen by tens of millions of people every day. • Everything about WordPress was created by and for the community. • WordPress is an Open Source project, which means there are hundreds • of people all over the world working on it (more than most commercial • platforms.) It also means you are free to use it for anything from your • cat’s home page to a Fortune 500 web site without paying a license fee. • Large user community and completely customizable (themes and plugins) Source: wordpress.org/about/
Installing WordPress – Requirements • web server (virtually any!) • PHP version 4.2 or greater • MySQL version 4.0 or greater
Installing WordPress – Steps • http://codex.wordpress.org/Installing_WordPress. • WordPress Installed for Free • Things to Know Before You Begin Installing WordPress • The Famous 5-Minute Installation. • Detailed Installation Instructions • Common Installation Problems • WordPress in Your Language • Installing WordPress in Your Language • How to Install Multiple Blogs • How to Install WordPress Locally • Getting Started with WordPress (much more installation info)
Using WordPress • Dashboard • making posts • writing pages • administration
Customizing WordPress – Themes • Hosted: plug and play • Installed: acquire, plug, tweak, and play • Requires understanding of CSS and PHP
Customizing WordPress – Themes Source: wordpress.org/about
Customizing WordPress – Plugins • Hosted: plug and play • Installed: acquire, plug, tweak, and play
Customizing WordPress – Plugins Source: codex.wordpress.org/Plugins
