Blogs as a Resource

There are thousands of libraries in the world. There is no reason to reinvent the wheel so to speak. Since libraries are known for collaboration what better thing to do than collaborate with others through the newest, free medium, a blog in order to improve instruction, access to materials and brainstorm ideas.

Reading the blogs of others in the field is a great way to see the who, what, when, where and why of the operations of libraries throughout the world. The uncovering of ideas may lead to a new way of business for my library which improves function for patrons.

Blogging is a great way to organize thoughts, keep a record, and maybe even get some feedback from others. Regardless, the self-reflection format of a blog creates a space to critically analyze how things work in my library.

Catalogablog

Library administration... everyone's "favorite" past time. I chose to follow this blog because library administration is a weakness I face. I am learning in my practicum how important it is, along with an understanding of the why's. This blog has a lot of good information regarding cataloging and accessing information. After all easy access is what libraries are all about.

This blog is a sort of challenge to myself to improve my understanding of adminstrative components of library media.

The Blue Skunk Blog

The Blue Skunk Blog is the compilation of candid writings of an author. I enjoy this blog for the information relating to e-books. I think this new format has the potential to reshape libraries and for that reason (and sure curiosity) it will be important to stay on the forefront of this technology. I found the Evolution of a Book graphic to be very insightful.

Unquiet Librarian

First, I love the title. The stereotypical library is a quiet, dusty, unfriendly enclave which patrons feel unwelcome. Obviously this blogger is breaking these barriers as she tears through the walls towards the internet, ready to embrace (gasp), the patron.

Today's school library can not live by the stereotypes of olden days. Students need to be welcomed and encouraged to use the resources at their fingertips. Often curriculum centers around group work, and yes that does require voices since miming has yet to be a successful communication tool for most of the public.

But beyond the embracing of such "taboo" traits of a library, the Unquiet Librarian is a great resource of units for the librarian. Her monthly reports with lessons, video feedback, curriculum standards, etc is a great resource for ideas. Further, the Unquiet Librarian is a wonderful resource for what a blog could become. She can also use the information she records on her blog to develop, improve, reshape, mold the lessons of the future.

Getting Started...

I chose blogger.com for my classroom blog because I have used this software previously. My personal blog is also hosted by blogger.com. Setting up the blog was pretty easy since I already established an account with blogger.com. I think blogger.com is user friendly with easy to use settings for customizing color schemes and layout.

My personal blog has been somewhat difficult to keep current. In the end there is only so much time in the day and that blog has not remained high on my priority list. I enjoy browsing others' blogs to find ideas and tips that are beneficial for me.

Another reason I have lost motivation of maintaining the personal blog was a lack of "hits" visiting the page. Perhaps altering my view of the purpose of a blog would decrease the impact of this motivation killer. Using a blog as a way to journal, that although certainly not private, is more of a reminder for myself than a way to provide insight for others.

Another way a classroom blog will be different than a personal blog is that students will be encouraged to use the blog to find needed materials. This may be somewhat controversial in the school district in which I hope to teach. However, this is good practice for a moodle account which are highly encouraged in said district.