Letters to my multi-media instructor #2

Personal web spaces: blogs, vlogs, Twitter

Dear Tabitha,

You asked about blogs and microblogs...

In Broad Strokes:
The term "blog" is short for "web-log." Blogs are casual web spaces that feature entries in reverse chronological order. Often described as online diaries, weblogs usually focus around a theme or topic of choice and are updated regularly. Twitter is an example of a micro-blog. "Vlog" is simply short for  "video blog."

Screenshot of a Simpsons gif by GIPHY.

New info gained in this week's lab:
This week's lab introduced me to the term blogosphere. As I understand it, the blogosphere refers to the community of bloggers and the interconnected nature of blogs...this concept of back-and-forth communication reminds me of last week's lab topic: Web 2.0. This makes sense, as blogs are a 2.0 phenomenon.

Samples I liked:
I liked the University of Illinois undergraduate library Twitter feed. They kept things light and visual with humourous gifs that connected to news items. The posts seemed frequent and brief. Another Twitter feed I would consider following is by the Winnipeg Public Library, simply because it is relevant to me as a Winnipeger and to my studies in library and information technology.

Traditionally used on ships or aircraft, a logbook would
keep track of happenings and navigation during a trip.
Above: Wikimedia Commons.

For blogs, the two that I took note of were: 1) Jenny Arch and 2) Not So Distant Future by Carolyn Foote. They—at least recent posts—are about things that interest me: storytime for pre-schoolers and the intersection of design, technology, and the school library, respectively.

Regarding libraries and the usefulness of blogs:
It makes sense that libraries can and are using microblogs for the benefit of their users. Twitter is a great place for news updates and brief, personal touches to remind patrons that the library is run by and for community members. I am convinced there are also good uses for regular blogs in library settings; however, many are yet to be realized. Some interesting uses I saw included patron reviews of new library materials, reports to the community after professional development days, and photos or videos celebrating community achievements or memories.

As I see it, the main function of today's library blog is to be an ongoing, online newsletter; many library blogs have yet to live into their potential for conversation and collaboration. However, it is possible I don't know where to look for examples of libraries already doing this.

Sincerely,
Chris