Blogging Overview

According to wikipedia:

weblog (usually shortened to blog, but occasionally spelled web log) is a web-based publication consisting primarily of periodic articles (normally in reverse chronological order). Although most early weblogs were manually updated, tools to automate the maintenance of such sites made them accessible to a much larger population, and the use of some sort of browser-based software is now a typical aspect of "blogging".

…The totality of weblogs or blog-related websites is often called the blogosphere.
When a large amount of activity, information and opinion erupts around a particular subject or controversy in the blogosphere, it is sometimes called a blogstorm or blog swarm.

…Because incoming links to specific entries are important to many weblogs, most have a way of archiving older entries and generating a static address for them; this static link is referred to as a permalink.
The latest headlines, with hyperlinks and summaries, are frequently offered in weblogs in the RSS
or AtomXML format, to be read with a feed reader.

The tools for editing, organizing, and publishing weblogs are variously referred to as "content management systems","publishing platforms", "weblog software", and simply "blogware".

According to blogwithoutalibrary.net, their April 2005 listed included 245 libraries:

• 107 are academic libraries
• 86 are public libraries
• 12 are school libraries
• 12 are assorted special libraries
• 11 are library associations (state/national/provincial, etc.)
• 8 are library consortia6 are government libraries
• 3 are corporate libraries

An overview of the UGA Libraries process

After an initial study by a subcommittee of WAG (Chaired by Amy Watts) in 2004, WAG moved forward with plans to create a blog in 2005. In January, a subcommittee of WAG was formed to investigate, implement, and design the Libraries blog. Initial thoughts were that the blog would replace the What’s New/Featured Sites section of the website.

One large question was what this new feature would be called. After much discussion, the title News & Events was considered to be the most appropriate. The subcommittee consists of Robin Fay (WAG Liaison, research, database testing, CSS & training assistance), Amy Watts (research, database testing, documentation & training), Jean Cleveland (research, evaluation, blog testing, content), and Sheila Devaney (research, evaluation, blog testing, content).

Feb. 4, 2005 Blog subcommittee meets for the first time:

• Scope/mission

• Name? (to be a blog or not?)

• User guidelines

• Investigate/Research

• Type of software (free or pay?)

• Ease of use

• Blog policies elsewhere (Appendix 4)

• Review of library blogs

• Installation & configuration

• Identify & train contributors

• Documentation

• RSS Feeds on the main home page

• Begin research process

Mar/Apr

• Research, installation and testing of two products (movable type, Wordpress)

• Develop blog policy which is approved by WAG (Appendix 1)

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May

• Determined that Wordpress, an opensource database product was the best choice (approved by WAG)

• Develop potential topic categories in consultation with WAG

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June

• Contributors identified and a final list of contributors was developed in mid June (Appendix 2)

• Began investigation of capturing the RSS feed for the main home page

• Revisited the news ‘real estate’ on the main page

• Should featured sites go away? NO.

• How many headlines can be captured? 2-3

July

• Final configuration of style sheets and testing of blog

• Blog users’ manual created (Appendix 3)

• Blog training and public launch

Aug

• Up and running.

• Future thoughts

• Promotion

• RSS feeds in MyUga

• Help tips for subscribing in firefox, thunderbird, myyahoo, etc

• Library blog lists

Additional blogs / spinoff--SLC? EndNote?

Examples of other Library Wordpress blogs

The Library Weblog
http://www.codlibrary.org/blog/

Ohio University Libraries News
http://www.library.ohiou.edu/newsblog/

Articles about blogging in Libraries

Carver, B. (2003) Is it time to get blogging? Library Journal (1976) part Net Connect (Winter)p. 30-2, Retrieved August 25, 2005 from HW Wilson.

Fichter, D. (2003) Why and How to Use Blogs to Promote Your Library's Services. Information Today, 17. Retrieved August 25, 2005.

http://www.infotoday.com/mls/nov03/fichter.shtml

Abstract:

Librarians have had to learn how to do a lot with just a little in order to promote awareness of their programs and services. They have seized the opportunities to market libraries in the real world via traditional media: newspapers, corporate newsletters, radio, and TV. Many libraries produce brochures, pathfinders, and their own newsletters. So it is no surprise to see librarians stepping up to the plate and spreading the word online with blogs. Savvy librarians have identified blogs as another means to market libraries and their services.

Resources

List of Library Blogs by Library type

http://www.blogwithoutalibrary.net/?page_id=94

Libraries/Library organizations/Librarians who blog about library related issues

http://www.libdex.com/weblogs.html

History of Blogs

Weblogs.Com
News

http://newhome.weblogs.com/historyOfWeblogs

Juice news daily

http://www.juiceenewsdaily.com/0505/news/history_blogs.html

Wikipedia

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blogs

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  Resources

  Yahoo Blog Guidelines

  http://jeremy.zawodny.com/yahoo/yahoo-blog-guidelines.pdf

  
  

  Corporate
  Blog Policies overview

  http://www.corporateblogging.info/2005/06/policies-compared-todays-corporate.asp

  
  

  Collective Insight

  http://weblogs.netcoms.com/blogs/niallcook/archive/2005/05/19/279.aspx
  

  
  

  How to Write Killer Blog Posts:

  http://www.frugalmarketing.com/dtb/killer-blog-posts.shtml

  
  

  Blog Style Manual

  http://georgiasla.blogspot.com/2004/06/blog-style-manual.html

  
  

  News & Events
  Overview & Documentation by Robin Fay, 2005, robinfay.net, compiled for a presentation.