Weblogs & Libraries Michael Stephens Michael Stephens

Our Plan  The Biblioblogosphere  Jumpstarting your Library Blog  Creating Usable Weblogs  What have we learned?  Best Practices for Library Blogs  New Tools & the Future  The Biblioblogosphere  Jumpstarting your Library Blog  Creating Usable Weblogs  What have we learned?  Best Practices for Library Blogs  New Tools & the Future

Let’s Survey the Biblioblogosphere

Why Use Blogs in Libraries?  Weblogs are being acknowledged as a “ natural for librarians ” (Hane, 2001)  Useful communication tool (Block, 2001)  Librarians are “ born to blog ” (Huwe, 2003)  Weblogs are being acknowledged as a “ natural for librarians ” (Hane, 2001)  Useful communication tool (Block, 2001)  Librarians are “ born to blog ” (Huwe, 2003)

Blogs & Libraries Blogs have many implications for librarians. Library managers need to be aware of what they can do to promote the library and its services. (Clyde, 2004) Blogs have many implications for librarians. Library managers need to be aware of what they can do to promote the library and its services. (Clyde, 2004)

Guess What?  Tools are available for collaboration and communication like never before  Librarians and libraries can use these tools to better serve users  If we don’t get it, users may pass us by!  Tools are available for collaboration and communication like never before  Librarians and libraries can use these tools to better serve users  If we don’t get it, users may pass us by!

Creating Usable Blogs

Jumpstarting Your Library Weblog  Read Jakob Nielsen’s Ten point List  Look at your library blog with new eyes  Make changes!  Read Jakob Nielsen’s Ten point List  Look at your library blog with new eyes  Make changes!

Jakob Nielsen on Weblog Usability  No Author Biographies  No Author Photo  Nondescript Posting Titles  Links Don't Say Where They Go  Classic Hits are Buried  The Calendar is the Only Navigation  Irregular Publishing Frequency  No Author Biographies  No Author Photo  Nondescript Posting Titles  Links Don't Say Where They Go  Classic Hits are Buried  The Calendar is the Only Navigation  Irregular Publishing Frequency

Jakob Nielsen on Weblog Usability  The Calendar is the Only Navigation  Irregular Publishing Frequency  Mixing Topics  Forgetting That You Write for Your Future Boss  Having a Domain Name Owned by a Weblog Service  The Calendar is the Only Navigation  Irregular Publishing Frequency  Mixing Topics  Forgetting That You Write for Your Future Boss  Having a Domain Name Owned by a Weblog Service

What have we learned?

Planning Steps  Who on your staff will blog?  Where will your blog live (in-house or hosted)?  What will you blog about?  Will you open up comments on blog posts? If yes, who will monitor the comments and respond?  Create your blog  Train your staff  Who on your staff will blog?  Where will your blog live (in-house or hosted)?  What will you blog about?  Will you open up comments on blog posts? If yes, who will monitor the comments and respond?  Create your blog  Train your staff

Who will blog?  Takes time – a staff responsibility  Natural fit with some positions  Interest, commitment, dedication  Skills  Writing and editing  Takes time – a staff responsibility  Natural fit with some positions  Interest, commitment, dedication  Skills  Writing and editing

Libraries & Weblogs:  Library Weblogs can be building blocks for communicating news and information  Transparency & presence can create interest and buy-in with staff and users  Library Weblogs can be building blocks for communicating news and information  Transparency & presence can create interest and buy-in with staff and users

Communication + Conversation = Community

Transparency  Sharing how the library works and how resources are used  Communicates to staff what people do  Creates community  Sharing how the library works and how resources are used  Communicates to staff what people do  Creates community

Best Practices for Library Blogs

 Read and Evaluate as many blogs as you can  TTW Handout  Note what features you like/dislike  Great first step or jumpstart step  Read and Evaluate as many blogs as you can  TTW Handout  Note what features you like/dislike  Great first step or jumpstart step

Best Practices for Library Blogs  Find your Voice/Develop a Mission  What is your goal?  How do you want to say it?  Are you ready to speak & listen?  Find your Voice/Develop a Mission  What is your goal?  How do you want to say it?  Are you ready to speak & listen?

Best Practices for Library Blogs  Focus on Content  Configure the blog then let it work for you!  Focus on creating interesting, useful posts  Reach out to users with what interests them  Focus on Content  Configure the blog then let it work for you!  Focus on creating interesting, useful posts  Reach out to users with what interests them

Best Practices for Library Blogs  Content, Yes, but Design Too!  Create a seamless environment  Usability is important: test and test again  Stay on top of tech advances  Content, Yes, but Design Too!  Create a seamless environment  Usability is important: test and test again  Stay on top of tech advances

Best Practices for Library Blogs  Share authorship  Depending on your library’s size, 1- 10?  Spreads out the writing duties  Agree on “voice” and Mission  Share authorship  Depending on your library’s size, 1- 10?  Spreads out the writing duties  Agree on “voice” and Mission

Best Practices for Library Blogs  Post Often and Succinctly  Users don’t want huge blocks of text  Write informally but error free  Make them want to return/subscribe  Post Often and Succinctly  Users don’t want huge blocks of text  Write informally but error free  Make them want to return/subscribe

Best Practices for Library Blogs  Develop a Style Guide  Insures correct usage amongst authors  Should carry to print as well  Develop a Style Guide  Insures correct usage amongst authors  Should carry to print as well

Best Practices for Library Blogs  Train Staff to Blog*  Teach them the technology  Give them handy tag sheets  Discuss what makes a good post  Praise them  * and give them time to do so!  Train Staff to Blog*  Teach them the technology  Give them handy tag sheets  Discuss what makes a good post  Praise them  * and give them time to do so!

Best Practices for Library Blogs  Incorporate the Blog(s) into your site  Use the same colors, look and feel  Link between the blog and the catalog, other pages  Make your front page the blog!  Incorporate the Blog(s) into your site  Use the same colors, look and feel  Link between the blog and the catalog, other pages  Make your front page the blog!

Best Practices for Library Blogs  Create a feeling of Transparency  Blog your projects & plans  Listen to your users via comments  Respond to your users  Create a feeling of Transparency  Blog your projects & plans  Listen to your users via comments  Respond to your users

New Tools & The Future

Get interactive  Talk with your users  Allow comments  Book reviews, thoughts, more  Talk with your users  Allow comments  Book reviews, thoughts, more

 “These networked conversations are enabling powerful new forms of social organization..”

 To speak with a human voice, companies must share the concerns of their communities.  It’s all about conversations  We shall become transparent  To speak with a human voice, companies must share the concerns of their communities.  It’s all about conversations  We shall become transparent

Companies can now communicate with their markets directly. If they blow it, it could be their last chance.

Libraries can now communicate with their markets directly. If they blow it, it could be their last chance.

Next Generation Library Tools  Comments enabled  The Catalog as Blog  Wikis built by librarians & users  Comments enabled  The Catalog as Blog  Wikis built by librarians & users

Thank You!  AIM: mstephens7mac    AIM: mstephens7mac  