The Library Context

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http//www.ukoln.ac.uk/cultural-heritage/events/il
i-2009-workshop/
Using Blogs, Micro-blogs and Social Networks in
Your Library The library Context 14th October
2009 Marieke Guy m.guy_at_ukoln.ac.uk Research
Officer
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Contents

• Introduction
• Case Study 2 The Remote Worker blog and the IWMW
  2009 blog
• Reasons For Having a Library Blog
• Beyond Blogs Micro-blogs and Social Networks
• Institution Barriers
• Addressing the Barriers
• Sharing Best Practices
• What Next?

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Communicating with Users

• The print era
• posters, flyers, print newsletter
• The replicate print age
• e-newsletters, static web pages
• The interactive age
• Push information out
• Gather feedback
• Build a community
• All without having a lot of technical know-how

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Types of Blogs

• Personal or professional?
• Depends on what your aim is
• Private or public?
• Seen only by (some) colleagues
• Seen by anyone
• Individual, group or subject?
• Individual reflects one persons thoughts
• Group collective effort
• Subject any number of people but is focused on a
  single topic

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A News Blog

• What might it cover?
• New branches, stock areas, user services
• Service changes mobile library routes, opening
  hours, fines
• Event information
• What goes out?
• Keep it concise
• Keep items separate
• Small snippets of information

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North Lincolnshire Libraries
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From the Librarians Desk

• Blogging about your daily work
• Gives users an insight into your role(s) and
  responsibilities
• Helps provide transparency and openness
• Information about library news and events
• Sets news in context of whole service or a
  specific area (e.g. local studies)

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Caird Library at theNational Maritime Museum
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Community Building

• Community of library professionals
• Long tradition of sharing experiences and
  knowledge
• New issues need to find new communities
• Blogs can be a timely way to
• Offer advice and commentary
• Make new connections
• Record discussion over time
• Also provide a different view to email discussion
  threads

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CILIP Cataloguing Indexing Group
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Library Resources Blog

• Use it to
• Raise your profile
• Advertise resources
• Build online communities with user input
• Focus on areas specific to your service and
  community
• Non-English speakers
• Local choirs and orchestras
• Childrens work homework groups, Stories from
  the Web sessions, holiday schemes
• Family history
• Accessible materials for visually impaired

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Sutton Libraries
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Special Projects Blog

• Are you
• Building a new library?
• Refurbishing a library / section?
• Changing mobile library services?
• Benefits
• Allows users to engage with project
• User involvement with decision making
• Easy way for regular progress bulletins
• Keeping interest through photos and videos

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British Library
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Task Groups Blog

• Management Tool
• Captures thoughts of group members
• Tagging to categorise sections
• Administration tool
• Built in archive features capture record of
  work done

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RIN Team blog
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Reflective Blogs

• Dont have to be public
• but think about sharing it with colleagues
• Use as a try it out experience
• Professional development
• Chronicle your daily activities
• Identify progression, achievements
• Use it for annual appraisal

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Remixing Libraries
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Getting started

• Blogs can be
• As resource and time intensive as you want
• Creative or serious depending on who its aimed
  at
• Help and advice
• UKOLN IntroBytes papers on blogging
• http//www.ukoln.ac.uk/cultural-heritag
  e/documents/
• Mailing lists e.g. lis-bloggers
• http//www.jiscmail.ac.uk/lists/lis-blo
  ggers.html/

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Any Questions?