Blogging about Books
You have seen how libraries can use blogs to provide patrons with information about upcoming events, acquisitions, or other library news. Blogging about books is probably the second most useful way for libraries to use blogs (and it's very popular with booklovers in general, too). Library book blogs may be created and maintained by an individual at a library but usually they are a team effort, with contributions from many staff members and sometime from patrons. The content on library book blogs may include book reviews, readers’ advisory resources, links to the library catalog and other other features. Posts may be categorized for easy access and RSS is available. Some book blogs encourage comments and invite readers to submit reviews, creating a conversation with patrons and booklovers.
Discovery Resources:
52 books, 52 weeks This readers advisory blog is part of a reading program website from the Bensonville (Illinois) Community Public Library.
MADreads from Madison (Wisconsin) Public Library invites comments from patrons and gets them.
PaperCuts from the Topeka and Shawnee County (Kansas) Public Library is one of the most comprehensive book blogs around.
The Homer (Alaska) Public Library Blog allow patrons to submit book reviews: http://homerpubliclibrary.blogspot.com/2007/12/submit-review.html
Another Alaska public library blog, the Juneau Public Library Blog uses wordpress, a different web-based blog server.
There’s quite a lot of interaction on Brooklyn Book Talk .
And here are a few other public library book blogs to take a look at if you have time: Newberg (Oregon) Public Library Book Blog,
Westport Public Library Book Blog, and South Country Library Book Blog. They're all different, and some are very simple.
If you are a school library media specialist, check out some school library blogs:
Comments are invited and moderated in most of the categories on the Manzanita School Library Book Blog.
The Shen HS Library Book Blog uses wordpress.
Library Book Blog is powered by wordpress and hosted by edublogs.
Quinlan Library Book Blog, a blog by middle school students, is no longer in production but it’s a good example of a student team blog and illustrates some of the features available on edublogs.
Discovery Exercise:
Post a book review on your blog. Select a book that you think your friends or library patrons would be interested to learn about. Include an image of the book cover. Imagine starting a book blog at your library: What links or other features would you like to include on your blog? Who will you invite to be on your blog team?
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