What Your Librarian Knows about Blogging
There are so many sources of information these days: blogs, podcasts, videos, online newspapers and magazines, that you might think that libraries are out-dated and out-moded.
But like me, you might be surprised to find that many libraries are embracing web 2.0. They are even using blogs to achieve many of the same goals that your small business or corporation is looking for:
- increased sense of community
- education of customers
- long-term relationships
- soft-sell marketing
To see what I am talking about, take a look:
The Ann Arbor Michigan Library has achieved a strong sense of community with its readers - some posts have over 50 comments.
Ann Arbor, Michigan District Library
The Danbury, Connecticut blog has been in existence since 2006. It stays fresh by sharing the blogging across four library employees.
The Allen County, Indiana library has two blogs in order to focus more closely on their target audiences. They even use teen bloggers on their young adult blog to make the posts more relevant and engaging.
Allen County Library Teen Blog
The library in Columbus, Ohio also uses a blog as part of an overall website designed to engage its readers. There are places for teens to upload their own drawings, photos, stories and reviews. This type of customer engagement helps build word of mouth advertising as the teens in turn share the site with their own friends.
Columbus, Ohio Metropolitan Library Teen Blog
The San Francisco library has a few blogs , each tailored to a target audience, including this blog dedicated to their literacy program. Small businesses and corporations can achieve greater visibility by sponsoring a blog for a related non-profit.
San Francisco Library Project Read Blog
Check out the following wiki for more blogging examples and to find out whether your hometown library is blogging. And if you know of one that they missed, please add it to the list!
photo credit: Librarian Avenger
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POSTED IN: Blogging, Non-profits
9 opinions for What Your Librarian Knows about Blogging
Jennifer Hofmann
Mar 25, 2008 at 8:12 am
Who woulda thought my little hometown of Danbury would do *anything* that cool!? Thanks for the heads-up!
Laura Spencer
Mar 25, 2008 at 7:46 pm
Hi Jennifer!
I liked this post. I’m a big fan of libraries and like you I looked to see if mine was blogging. (Unfortunately, they aren’t … yet … )
Liz Fuller
Mar 27, 2008 at 3:34 am
Hi Jennifer
Danbury has a great library - don’t know if they did when you lived there. My husband and I have a house on the lake there that we spend summers/weekends in. When I’m not sailing - I’m at the library!! :)
Liz
Jennifer Hofmann
Mar 27, 2008 at 9:07 am
That’s so funny - I learned to sail on Candlewood! I graduated from DHS (won’t admit when) but honestly never set foot in the Danbury library. That is so cool what they’re doing! My parents are still there - I think I’ll check it out in person next time I visit.
Liz Fuller
Mar 28, 2008 at 1:23 am
Hi Jennifer
Glad to hear you’re going to check out the library next time you’re in town - I wonder if they’ll give me a break on my overdue fines in exchange for drumming up business??
Let me know next time you visit - if we’re in town maybe we can get together!
Jennifer Hofmann
Mar 28, 2008 at 8:07 am
I will!
I was thinking that even in the age of wiki, libraries can still make themselves useful and approachable. I honestly believe that paper (books) will never go out of style.
Dan Rafter
Mar 28, 2008 at 1:15 pm
Hi, Liz:
Great post. Even though I’m an Internet junkie, I still make time to go to my library, in St. Charles, Ill., at least three times a week. Just being around those books is inspiring. The library, though, also has a nice little blog on its site, focused, of course, on the joys of reading. Libraries, I think, are the best sanctuaries we have these days.
Dan
http://www.blogprorealty.com
http://www.propertycrossroads.com
Laura Spencer
Mar 28, 2008 at 3:08 pm
Hi Jennifer and Dan!
It’s a small world, isn’t it?
Speaking for myself, I practically grew up in the library. It’s always been one of my favorite places.
Liz Fuller
Mar 30, 2008 at 3:07 pm
Hi Dan
Thanks for sharing about the St Charles Library Blog. I checked it out and it is great - lots of great reading recommendations and interesting posts. I don’t know when I’ll ever make it to the actual library - but I know I’ll be back to their blog!
http://www.stcharleslibrary.org/blog/readers/
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