Greetings students!
I've been enjoying reading all the blogs this week. The majority of you seem to be new bloggers -- and while some of you may be scratching your head wondering why I would possibly want you to blog, I assure you that at the end of the class you will see some value in it. (If you don't feel free to express that to me as I'm a feedback nut).
The major idea of a blog is a personal publishing system with a very important component - the ability for the general public (or restricted users in some cases) to post comments. Feedback! Contribution!
Let's take a look at Amazon. When I am searching for a new book to purchase on a favorite topic, I generally browse a specific subject that I find in a keyword search. I narrow down my choices by type of materials (this case a book), and at the bottom of every product page is a list of CATEGORIES that the product belongs to. This is all very similar to a library catalog (OPAC). I can click through the different subject. I can see other titles that are similar to the one I'm searching for. And, for someone like me who is a feedback nut, I can read REVIEWS! I want to know what other people who have read the book I am considering spending $30 on thinks about it. Was it valuable to them? Wouldn't it also be nice to have a feature in the library OPAC that connected REVIEWS to the item you are searching for?
I do the same thing with hotels. Let's look at my choices. 10 years ago I could go to the Internet and search for hotels on expedia.com, find out information about the property, etc. It is a good possibility that I could even find a webpage for the specific hotel with photos, maybe reservation information, and description of amenities. Today however I can go to TripAdvisor.com or RealTravel.com and find out other people's opinions on hotels, restaurants, museums, places to visit, etc. One of my favorite places to visit is Seattle, Washington. Take a look at the TripAdvisor page for Seattle. Some of these hotels have hundreds of reviews. I can do my own research from opinions and advice from real people, instead of from a book which may or may not be outdated or accurate. Another good example that I use often to find local restaurants, parks, and other places is Yelp.com. People SHARE information with other people, with us.
Blogs are just another way to do that, to provide a platform for someone to share about a specific topic and for others to put in their $.02. In a library environment, it gives the library a human aspect, opens up ideas about new services and really tries to connect the library and the community. Kinda like what I'm trying to do in this class. Hmm...
Something to think about!
Some of my favorite library related blogs are:
LibrarianInBlack.net
TameTheWeb.com
TheShiftedLibrarian.com
LibrariansMatter.com
TheUbiquitousLibrarian
Here are some examples of how Universities use blogs in their libraries:
Ohio Universities Libraries News
Yale University Library News
Hunter Library News
Example of Teen Services Blogs in Public Libraries
WorthingTeens
Know of any you would like to share?
1 comment:
I found out that my friendly neighborhood librarian read my blog :)
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