Blogging on Documents Jennie Gerke Five-State Government Documents Conference University of Colorado at Boulder

Some definitions Definition of weblog, from the Oxford English Dictionary: “A frequently updated web site consisting of personal observations, excerpts from other sources, etc., typically run by a single person, and usually with hyperlinks to other sites; an online journal or diary.” RSS (Really Simple Syndication, Rich Site Summary or RDF Site Summary) What this really means: A RSS feed provides all the updated material from a web site.

Why The user: The Pew Internet & American Life Project reports 57 million adults read blogs, or approximately 38% of Internet users. The Pew Internet & American Life Project reports 57 million adults read blogs, or approximately 38% of Internet users. 12 million adults have a blog, of those 54% are between the ages of 18 and million adults have a blog, of those 54% are between the ages of 18 and 29.Documents: Show documents are: Show documents are: Timely: hezbollah.html Timely: hezbollah.htmlhttp://cubgovpubs.blogspot.com/2006/07/what-is- hezbollah.htmlhttp://cubgovpubs.blogspot.com/2006/07/what-is- hezbollah.html Interesting: omnivorous.html Interesting: omnivorous.html omnivorous.html omnivorous.html Useful: forms.html Useful: forms.htmlhttp://cubgovpubs.blogspot.com/2006/01/tax- forms.htmlhttp://cubgovpubs.blogspot.com/2006/01/tax- forms.html

How News reports Fun factoids Interesting historical material Unusual documents Reference Questions Anything else?

A look at one blog’s postings for May-July 2006 Serious news: 37 Government in the News (US, UN, Israel, Colorado, Iran, IAEA) 37 Government in the News (US, UN, Israel, Colorado, Iran, IAEA) 2 new databases 2 new databases Documents for fun: 3 Documents and daily life (weather statistics, fire maps, transportation information) 3 Documents and daily life (weather statistics, fire maps, transportation information) 3 historical documents (Mr. Rogers, cold war bunkers, and the Big Thompson Flood) 3 historical documents (Mr. Rogers, cold war bunkers, and the Big Thompson Flood) 2 national holiday (July 4 th and World Environment Day) 2 national holiday (July 4 th and World Environment Day) 3 Did you know? (Urban legends, squirrels are omnivores, baby names) 3 Did you know? (Urban legends, squirrels are omnivores, baby names)

Promotion Put it on your web page: m m m Use in bibliographic instruction: regional-geography.html regional-geography.html regional-geography.html Get your web site indexed: Blogger and many other blog software sites have a relationship with a mainstream search engine. Blogger and many other blog software sites have a relationship with a mainstream search engine. Some will let you ping the site so the latest information is available. Some will let you ping the site so the latest information is available. Use it…

Did it work? Who links to you: Technorati- Technorati- Google- Google- Who has tagged your blog: Statistics: Various free statistical counters are available, such as Sitemeter or StatCounter Various free statistical counters are available, such as Sitemeter or StatCounter

Various Blogs on Documents Government Publications Library at University of Colorado at Boulder: (mixture of state, federal, and international information) Colorado State Library: (Colorado information only) Free Government Information: (discussion of issues in government materials)

Let’s try it out! Blogger: RSS Feeders and aggregators: List of aggregators at: List of aggregators at: Downloaded software: Mozzilla Downloaded software: Mozzilla On the web: Bloglines, Yahoo On the web: Bloglines, Yahoo Sent to you as Sqeet Sent to you as Sqeet Any others? Any others?Citations: “weblog,” Oxford English Dictionary Online, Bloggers: A Portrait of the Internet’s New Storytellers. Pew Internet & American Life Project,