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Week 2: Blogs and blogging
Reading about blogs and blogging this week made me realize how the many blogging features I have simply accepted have their own unique history. It was interesting to note how functionality taken for granted can have such an effect on the ways in which people blog. For example, according to Rebecca Blood the simpler interface offered by Blogger helped create a more personal style by making it more natural to post personal thoughts and reactions. Also, I can only imagine what a pain it would have been to not have permanent URL's to blog entries! I could readily identify with Meg Hourihan's thoughts on how shared experiences that seem to occur at around the same time can create a sense of connection between the blogger and the reader.
It was interesting how the Ann Arbor District Library blog and the Madison-Jefferson County Public Library blogs have such a different feel, even though they offer many of the same features. While the Madison-Jefferson blog is more exciting and offers blogs targeted at specific audiences, I found the Ann Arbor approach much more readable. Both libraries' blogs have a welcoming feel and I can see how they might encourage community involvement. The sense of immediacy of the blog posts can make readers feel connected to each other and all the parts of the library that are available through the internet. This is a great service that can foster participation not only in online library communities, but involvement in the physical library through the posting of specific events and any discussion generated.
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I noticed the same thing, Jen. I initially figured that all of the blogs would look like those generic "Blogger" style blogs, but each one was very unique. I spoke a little about the branding effect in my own week 2 blog, and I think seeing those four blogs was what really turned me on to the notion that a library truly can use a blog to develop a brand!
"Everything I say is a lie...
... in fact, I'm lying to you right now..."
hi jen,
I started reading blogs about a year ago (mostly about librarianship) and I stumbled across one written by a woman who had very similar life experiences as me and I was immediately hooked to her blog (it's the only one I regularly read). That's when I really realized the potential of blogs to connect people that normally would have never met in a face-to-face situation but could share so much with each other.
With respect to library blogs, I think this type of connection with the blogger (librarian) and reader can only occur when the blog is written about specific subject material. So in practice I suppose that would mean way too many blogs for the library to support! I guess my point here is that there's a trade-off between writting about general topics in an objective manner that appeals to a broad audience which perpetuates a detached kind of relationship with the library opposed to writting very personalized blogs about specific topics that appeal to a smaller select audience who would be very engaged.
In the case studies that some libraries manage this dilemma by publishing a few blogs targeted at different user groups (ex. kids, teens, adults).
Great post Jen!
I agree with you that the Ann Arbor blog was more readable than the Madison-Jefferson one. You are right that both blogs have a welcome feel that other libraries should take note of. Pauline