Definition

Blogs offer a more flexible and social way of posting news updates, with automatic RSS feeds and the ability for readers to comment directly. Most blogging software also allows you to incorporate other things on the page, such as links lists and widgets, and has archiving, labelling and searching facilities built in.

Examples:

• Blogger
• Wordpress
• LiveJournal

Blogger and Wordpress are less social than LiveJournal, which makes more of a feature of the links between members, but for news blogs they do offer more functionality on the page.

How can libraries use blogs?

Replacing static news pages, and encouraging responses and feedback via comments.

• Example: Vere Harmsworth Library

Subject-specific blogs, keeping users up-to-date with new resources, as well as opportunites for user education with focuses on particular databases etc.

• Example: University of Bath Library Health News

Further information

Blogger:

• Training exercises (set-up and advanced)
• Evaluation
• Oxford examples: VHL, ContEd, Language Centre, ORA, St Stephen's House

Wordpress:

• Evaluation
• Oxford examples: Law, Bodleian Special Collections, Staff Development, EResources, Nuffield College Library