Cerwood Main Library Blog

1. Cerwood Main LibraryBlog Created by: Weinstein, Pereira, Newton, & Merzena, Ltd. [Tracy Newton, Kathryn Merzena, Emily Pereira, and Kerry Weinstein]

2. What are Blogs “A blog is a website, usually maintained by an individual with regular entries of commentary, descriptions of events, or other material such as graphics or video. Entries are commonly displayed in reverse-chronological order. "Blog" can also be used as a verb, meaning to maintain or add content to a blog. Many blogs provide commentary or news on a particular subject; others function as more personal online diaries. A typical blog combines text, images, and links to other blogs, web pages, and other media related to its topic. The ability for readers to leave comments in an interactive format is an important part of many blogs.” Source: Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blog November 25, 2008.

3. Who uses Blogs

4. Who are these Blog Users Parents Vegetarians Fans Teens/Young Adults Religious Groups Consultants Children Scrap Booking Clubs Scholars Employers Photographers Editors Students Retirees Authors Teachers Tourists Vendors Doctors Family Members Wedding Planners Community Leaders Spouses Travel Agents Grandparents Singles Shoppers Book lovers Divorced Individuals Babysitters Movie Enthusiasts Mechanics Drivers Cooks Computer Techs Adoptees Employees Special Needs Job Hunters Gardeners Neighbors PC/Mac Users

5. Statistics on Blog Users http://technorati.com/blogging/state-of-the-blogosphere/

6. Statics on Blog Users http://technorati.com/blogging/state-of-the-blogosphere/

7. Blog Subjects

8. Why use a blog for library purposes?

9. Influential Public Libraries who Blog • Cambridge Library Blog http://www2.cambridgelibraries.ca/blog/ • Free Libraries of Philadelphia Blog http://libwww.library.phila.gov/blog/ • Hillsborough County Public Library Consortium –Teens @ the library blog http://hcplcteens.blogspot.com/ • New York Public Library Blog http://www.nypl.org/blog/ • Phillipsburg Free Public Library – Book Lover’s Blog http://pfplreaders.blogspot.com/ • Plymouth District Library –Ancestor Research Blog http://genealogy.plymouthlibrary.org/ • Riverside Public Library—The Librarian’s Own Grove blog http://riversidelibrary.blogspot.com/ • San Francisco Public Library – Art, Music, and Recreation blog http://sfplamr.blogspot.com/ • Seattle Public Library – Friends Blog http://friendsofspl.wordpress.com/ • Toronto Public Library – LOUD for Kids blog http://kidsspace.torontopubliclibrary.ca/index.html

10. How blogging can increase library interest/use?

11. Reflections “The word blog is irrelevant, what's important is that it is now common, and will soon be expected, that every intelligent person (and quite a few unintelligent ones) will have a media platform where they share what they care about with the world.” Seth Godin, Author, Tribes, sethgodin.typepad.com

12. Your Future Blog

13. Features of Your New Library Blog • Archived Blogs • Comments Section • Informational Blog • Link to the Cerwood Main Library webpage • Links to other popular blogs and webpages • Pre Survey http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=DzuHpO6_2fpDAiKTOUgel2GQ_3d_3d • Post Surveys http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=ID7J00aLIE5nLcd9ICcrxA_3d_3d • Search Box

14. Who will maintain the blog ? • Decide who will post to the blog (one person/team). • Train staff on blog software. • [Also remind staff on blog etiquette; this is the library’s blog and not their own personal blog.] • Allocate staff time for posting. Source: Shucha, Bonnie. “Blogging in Libraries: Finding, Reading, & Creating Blogs”. University of Wisconsin Law Library.

15. Blog Etiquette The Ten Commandments of Blog and Wiki Etiquette http://www.infoworld.com/article/07/05/28/22FEblogwikicommandments_1.html 1. Thou shall not confuse thy opinion with gospel truth. 2. Thou shall not invoke personal attacks. 3. Thou shall stick to the subject at hand. 4. Thou shall cite thy references. 5. Thou shall punctuate and capitalize. 6. Thou shall own up to thy mistakes. 7. Thou shall not use aliases or sock puppets. 8. Thou shall not feed the trolls. [Do not respond to or encourage rudeness.] 9. Thou shall resize thy images. 10. Thou shall respect the old adage: What happens on the wiki stays on the wiki.

16. Resources for Training the Staff on Blogging • Blogs in Plain English http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NN2I1pWXjXI • Blogger: How to Start a Blog http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bU4gXHkejMo&feature=related • How to Blog Safely (About Work or Anything Else) http://w2.eff.org/Privacy/Anonymity/blog-anonymously.php • How to Check Your Blog’s Traffic Statistics on Today.com http://www.ehow.com/how_4495415_check-blogs-traffic-statistics-todaycom.html?ref=fuel&utm_source=yahoo&utm_medium=ssp&utm_campaign=yssp_art • How to Reach New Customers Through Blogs http://www.ehow.com/how_2323718_reach-new-customers-through-blogs.html?ref=fuel&utm_source=yahoo&utm_medium=ssp&utm_campaign=yssp_art

17. Additional Resources • Library Blogging http://libraryblogging.com/ • Welcome to Technorati http://technoratimedia.com/about/ • “Why and How to Use Blogs to Promote your Library’s Services” http://www.onlineinc.com/mls/nov03/fichter.shtml

18. Goals for Cerwood Main Library • To successfully create a blog that appeals to their clientele. • To increase services to their online community. • To adjust the blog after six months of use according to or keeping in mind the User Post Survey results. • To keep the blog running and respond to customer comments/questions that are posted.

19. Contact Us: Firm Information Weinstein, Pereira, Newton, & Merzena, Ltd. 620 George Street Building A, Suite 10 New Brunswick, NJ 08901 Phone: 1-888-YOU-BLOG Fax: 1-888-WILL-BLOG Http://www.wepeneme.com Email: blogmaster@wepeneme.com

20. Questions/Suggestions: Please use this time to ask any questions or suggestions. Thank you and it will be a pleasure to assist in the creation of: The Cerwood Main Library Blog.