I work in what I consider to be a small to medium-sized public library. As with many libraries, jumping on the 2.0 bandwagon is an important thing to do. What exactly does jumping on the 2.0 bandwagon mean you might ask? For me it means a number of things, most importantly using new web based technologies, and reaching out to new library user groups. The best possible tools to reach these audiences are the forms of communication that they are most comfortable with. This is where “Library 2.0” and WordPress come in. Libraries can use WordPress to help their patrons gain access to the information they need in ways that are convenient for them.
WordPress is a blogging tool and Weblog Platform. What this means is that WordPress is designed to help bloggers work with and create blogs that are published with usability and interaction in mind. Before going into more depth about what WordPress does, it is important to understand what a blog is and why they are important to information professionals of all sorts.
“Blog, short for Weblog, is a Web site that contains brief entries arranged in reverse chronological order. Blogs are diverse, ranging from personal diaries to news sites that monitor developments on anything from Outer Mongolia to copyright law” (1). Blogs take on many forms and are used for many purposes. The most common of these is a journal or log style format devoted to a person’s life. Since the concept of a weblog emerged, the possible subjects have grown to include business, news, leisure, entertainment and local events. Blogs can serve a variety of purposes. Blogs encourage participation by allowing readers a forum to add comments; additionally they can serve as communication tools between two or more people. Weblogs can bypass many of the shortfalls of email; users can subscribe to blogs with RSS technology so that the blogs they love will come to them. Blogs can provide for people in many ways including being a fun tool used to disseminate information.
In the library where I work, I have been asked to create a blog for my department. This task will include using WordPress to create and publish content for patrons. This blog will probably integrate the use of other 2.0 tools such as Meebo and RSS. One of the major strengths of the library blog is the ability to be flexible and provide as many different “access points” to different users as possible, while keeping the cost of the service low. The outcome should be an increased level of interaction between our Audio-Visual Department, and the public. This will hopefully increase the satisfaction for patrons, and therefore use of the library as a whole.
As a part of the implementation process I have been thinking a lot about what features the blog should have, and how it should be organized. I have been looking at a whole spectrum of blogs to see what my options are. Some of the most welcoming library blogs that make use of WordPress as blogging tool are:
Dartmouth Public Libraries News Blog
Juneau Public Library Book Blog
PPL’s Poetry Podcast Blog
I thought that these blogs were exciting because they are simple; yet they use a variety of formats and approaches to communicate with the communities they serve. The blogs listed show how versatile the WordPress tool can be. It has been used to post regular book reviews, podcasts from local poets, and general library news. The first blog in the list even uses RSS technology to post a copy of new entries to the library’s web page, for patrons to read.
The blog that I plan to create will be for the Highland Park Public Library’s Audio-Visual Department where I work. On the blog I believe I will use the natural rolling log style of blogs to feature monthly columns with titles such as “Buried Treasure in the Audio-Visual Collection”, “New Acquisitions”, and the blog will also be used to highlight all of the terrific pathfinders that the department produces on a regular basis. These features on the blog will allow patrons 24/7 access to some of the great services that the department provides as well as another forum to interact with the Audio-Visual Department.
I hope that once the blog is created everyone reading this will follow the link and check it out!
I’ve included links to a couple of the best articles that I’ve found about Library Blogs for your reading pleasure.
(1) “Why and How to Use Blogs to Promote Your Library’s Services”
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I really likee the blog that was for poetry pod casts, thanks for sharing. Write a post when your public library blog is up. Good luck!