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What is a blog?

Explore the origin and purpose of blogs, understand their popularity reasons, learn about the dangers involved, and discover how to create a blog. Discover the importance of blogs in libraries and creative ways librarians utilize them to communicate with patrons.

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What is a blog?

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  1. What is a blog?

  2. 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

  3. Laurel Clyde is of the opinion that to try and define a blog is “an exercise in futility .. as the weblog scene is changing all the time”

  4. History • 1994 – Justin Hall - student • 17 December 1997 – Jorn Barger coined “weblog” • Peter Merholtz created “blog” • first librarian to operate own blog Jenny Levine – Site Du Jour - 1995

  5. What is the purpose of a blog?

  6. purely personal publishing diaries, personal thoughts “self-obsessed ramblings of people who have little to say”Giles Turnbull Purpose of a blog

  7. Now personal journal community space for learners or . . . any community with a shared interest business use - advertising can contain text, videos, music, art

  8. Why are blogs popular?

  9. Reasons • 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

  10. Reasons (2) • reaction and comments of other bloggers • linking to other blogs • webs of communication • networks of dynamic communities • socialising - fellowship feeling • therapeutic benefits

  11. Dangers of blogging • political dangers – Jan Pronk (UN) in the Sudan • personal safety – Kathy Sierra • defamation law suits

  12. How do you create a blog?

  13. 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 

  14. Why blogs in a library?

  15. 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

  16. Client preferences • more clients start to prefer this way of communicating – lecturers as well as students • generation X; Y, millennials • interactivity

  17. Creative librarians • librarians continuously look for innovative ways to reach patrons • provide quick information to patrons • often librarians are unable to update their library web sites without IT department

  18. Easy communication • publish instantly to the internet from any internet connection • moblogging

  19. Subject librarian & blogs • additional way of reaching academic staff • links to other sites – of interest to academic staff • collection development – new books – reviews, discussions • RSS feeds (readers) – quick alerts

  20. Some examples

  21. To blog or not to blog?

  22. A blog can be a very useful tool for communicating new ideas and thoughts to a large number of people quickly

  23. From a LIS perspective a blog can be used to broadcast useful info to clients in any specific subject area or it can be geared towards a general audience within the community

  24. 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

  25. Thank youAny questions? Annette le Roux lrouxha@unisa.ac.za

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