Presented at the Sirsi/Dynix Midwest Users Group (SMUG) 2009 conference in Bellevue, NE on 30 July 2009.

1. I blog, you blog, weblog! Michael SauersTechnology Innovation Librarian,Nebraska Library Commission

2. What & Why 2

3. Vocabulary blog (weblog) blogger blogging blogosphere biblioblogosphere podcast 3

4. What is a blog? “A blog is a website in which items are posted on a regular basis and displayed in reverse chronological order. The term blog is a shortened form of weblog or web log. Authoring a blog, maintaining a blog or adding an article to an existing blog is called ‘blogging’. Individual articles on a blog are called ‘blog posts,’ ‘posts’ or ‘entries’. A person who posts these entries is called a ‘blogger’… Blogs use a conversational style of documentation. Often blogs focus on a particular ‘area of interest’, such as Washington, D.C.'s political goings-on. Some blogs discuss personal experiences.”-Wikipedia 4

5. What is a blog? Web site Posts Reverse chronological Comments Archive Searchable Automated Conversational style 5

6. Why should your library have a blog? They’re an easy way to provide information about what’s happening in your library. Little to no markup experience necessary. Combined with RSS feeds it’s another way for patrons to receive timely information about the library. To tell your library’s story. To allow your patrons to participate in your library’s story. 6

7. 5 Reasons Not to Blog “I want to give them a piece of my mind!” “Oh, the stories I could tell.” “I think I can find some time at school…” “Nobody will find out that it’s me.” “It’s OK, I will keep it private.” 7 Chris Harris -- School Library Journal, 4/1/2007

8. Types of Blogs Personal Professional Organizational Subject Hybrid 8

9. Blog examples Live demo… 9

10. Blogger.com 10

11. How do I create a blog? There are several services and software packages out there that make creating a blog easy. The two most popular are: WordPress (server)http://wordpress.org/ MoveableType(client & server)http://www.movabletype.org/ Blogger (Web service)http://www.blogger.com/ 11

12. Blogger home page 12

13. Create an account 13

14. Name Your Blog 14

15. Choose a template 15

16. Your blog has been created! 16

17. Edit User Profile 17

18. The Blogger Dashboard 18

19. Create a post 19

20. Post Options 20

21. Edit posts 21

22. Blogger settings 22

23. Settings: Basic 23

24. Settings: Publishing 24

25. Settings: Formatting 25

26. Settings: Comments 26

27. Settings: Archiving 27

28. Settings: Site Feed 28

29. Settings: Email & Mobile 29

30. Settings: OpenID 30

31. Layout: Page Elements 31

32. Layout: Fonts and Colors 32

33. Layout: Edit HTML 33

34. Layout: Edit HTML: “Classic” 34

35. Classic Template: Tags “Blogger tags tell our blog publishing program which information to fetch from database and put on the page. "Please put the title here, the post right underneath, and then the date and time go here and here. Thank you." It's all very polite.” 35

36. Layout: Pick New Template 36

37. Monetize 37

38. Multi-author blogging &Reader Control 38

39. Settings: Permissions 39

40. Adding authors 40

41. Open invitation 41

42. Received Invitation 42

43. Log in or Create an account 43

44. Controlling multiple authors 44

45. Other Posting Methods 45

46. BlogThis! 46

47. ScribeFire 47

48. Windows Live Writer 48

49. Posting via e-mail 49 (Settings: Email & Mobile)

50. gabcast 50

51. Gabcast results 51

52. Contact Information Michael Sauers michael.sauers@nebraska.gov http://www.travelinlibrarian.info/ delicious.com/travelinlibrarian/class-blogs 52