I am worried about the proliferation fo Blogs in Library land...and no I don't mean for this assignment. We have a programming blog, and a shared collection blog, and a PTH Blog. If there are others I'm not aware of them.
I am a fan of Bulletin Boards, they allow for discussion of multiple topics in user defines subject areas. They are designed for 2 way conversation w/in threads divided by subjects. Users can subscribe to topics and be emailed when someone posts an update. A blog is really more of an announcment tool where one can say what you think about whatever you care about.
I think part of the success for many of us in the Web 2.0 exploration with our blogs and things like Twitter is the ability to converse with other staff in a way that we've not had available in a long time. I see this as a good thing. Some of the conversation is irreverent, and thats a good thing. Staff need a way to vent in a non-formal manner (ie not to a supervisor and w/out having a whispering campaign), it is healthy for us to be able to fuss about whats bothering us. Yes we know that what can be done is being done...but we still need to complain about things. Its when complaining stops that there is a real problem.
Equally, much of the discussion is useful and informative or thought provoking. My own posts are a refelction of that and oddly, its my least work related post thats gotten the largest nnumber of comments.
For that alone the blogs and twitter are worth it. Geez did I just say something good about twitter? WOW I guess I'm hooked.
5 comments:
...I'm just noting that as of right now, you're following what, 4 people on twitter? And that's enough to be irreverent and vent-y? Oh my. (And I would also note that I am *not* one of the four!)
I wonder if some of the excess bloggage going on is due to blogs being free and fairly easy to learn, and they work well enough for the purpose... They may be designed to be screwdrivers, but they work pretty well as hammers too, right? Also, given how swamped our poor computer department can get with all the projects going on, I guess it makes sense to have blogs (or similar) in a place where they don't have to be immediately responsible.
Very interesting post. I was in on the development of the system's first blog way back when, and we chose that vehicle mainly because it was familiar. As far as I remember, no one suggested Bulletin Boards. That's probably because no one on the committee was comfortable enough with them, at that time, to recommend them. What I'm realizing from Web 2.0 is that there are a HUGE number of possibilities out there, and the more we learn about each one, the better position we're in to make an informed choice.
Also I agree that Twitter is a great communication tool. A few weeks ago I read two books written by California librarians (Quiet, Please and Free For All) and I was struck by the universality of our experience, with these librarians clear across the country facing the same issues and challenges that we face. Twitter, on the other hand, can tell us more about the diversity of experience. It's interesting to know that someone at another branch is baking cookies, while someone else is dressing up like Sneaks, while someone else is rescuing a patron from killer ants, and all those other little things that make our days unique. With Twitter I feel much more in touch with what's happening outside the walls of my own little branch.
Blogs for the most part, are not private. Anyone, patron, management, other staff can read and respond, in many ways, to a blog. You should not post anything in a blog that can be misconstrued because of possible repercussions.
There's an old saying, "When the only tool you have is a hammer, everything looks like a nail."
For a while, the only tool our system had was the blog. By that I mean blogs were the only online tools we were familir with that (a) could be updated with no knowledge of HTML, and (b) could be set up for limited membership.
And even now...I don't know if the Powers That Be have much familiarity with other online tools -- and I truly can't see some of them setting up a bulletin board system. (Besides jtrepp, how many other people from HDQ do you see working on this assignment?)
I feel that the "control" aspect is one we have to pay attention to. If we don't allow some way for the Powers That Be to maintain (the illusion of) control, then they will shoot down whatever we do.
Believe me, I have long experience in this department. I've had more ideas shot down , and gotten in trouble for it more times, than I can count. "Not Invented Here" is a very powerful force in our system. Blogs are acceptable because they were approved from above. This Web 2.0 assignment is acceptable because it was approved from above. But if we start creating grassroots solutions, ones that are not approved from above, then those solutions will be met with resistance or downright hostility.
I hope things are changing, and will continue to change in positive directions -- but please, everyone, tread carefully.
Agree with you that we like being able to connect, in however shallow a way, with other staff. We lost those on the fly exchanges when we stopped calling around for books. Long, long ago. Strange as it may sound, this is a way to get to know people we would probably like to know.
Belinda B.
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