Web 2.0 and 3.0
Blogs and Blogging
Introduction
After reading about WEB 2.0 and 3.0, I was overwhelmed by the amount of technologies that are available for use. The web is no longer just for getting information. It is a global community of people sharing and updating information and resources. After briefly looking over many of the new technologies available, I decided to further investigate blogging.
A “blog” is simply a website where people make entries like in a diary that include their own thoughts and ideas, information to share, links of interest, etc. The word “blog” comes from a combination of web and log and was first used by Jorn Barger in 1997. A blog is usually arranged in reverse chronological order with the most recent post being the first to be seen at the top of the page.
Blogs have become more and more popular as a way to communicate and share ideas within communities of learners. Blogs have grown partly because of the newest technologies that allow for people to create professional looking blogs so easily. These technologies also make it easier for bloggers to add hot links, RSS feeds, and connections to related sites.
Comments and experiences
While blogs have been around for some time now, I have personally never subscribed to a blog or created one. Our BOCES School Library Services team has repeatedly shared their blog sites along with a strong recommendation that librarians in the area visit the blogs. The head of the SLS team repeatedly comments at meetings about subjects and links that she has posted on her blog for us to view. I decided to investigate this Web 2.0 subject as it seemed to be one that I could not only learn about but also put into action in my current position as a librarian in an Elementary School.
My goals were simple…to visit the BOCES SLS blog site and to set up my own blog for future use.
I went to a blog builder and set up my own blog. It can be found at I have only written test blogs for now but I am excited about connecting RSS feeds to my blog. Starting up a blog is much easier than I thought it would be.
I also took time to visit the above mentioned BOCES site and found that it was filled with great library specific information (Mandarin/Oasis/Marc Record searches/etc.) along with New York State curriculum guides and lesson information.
Possible uses and effects on libraries
As an elementary school librarian, I see blogging as a way of keeping students and parents up to date with what is going on in the library and throughout the school. I could use a blog to…
- post additions of books to the library – new arrivals
- share book reviews written by the students
- list teacher suggested materials to read
- suggest summer reading goals
- announce special events (bookfair, Parents as Reading Partners, Million Minute challenge…)
- highlight our “spotlight bookshelf” topic of the month
- connect students to reading, listening and comprehension websites
- and more
Summary
Librarians have a lot to gain by using blogs to connect to others. Blogs allow idea sharing which is essential today to keep up with the technological changes that happen so quickly. Blogs are also a timely way for librarians to keep students, parents and teachers informed about programs and activities connected to library services.