I spent this week looking at different types of librarian blogs, and boy did that turn out to be a daunting task! There are so many library/librarian blogs out there. It seems that all librarians want to do is blog!

This made me wonder, what is it that makes librarians
want to blog?

 

 

 

Is it to share resources and information with other librarians? Or are librarians trying to connect with their patrons? Or is it simply to document and share their experiences with anyone who’s interested?

What I quickly found is that the answer is “yes” to all of the above and so much more. Many librarians are great story tellers, many are amazing teachers, and it’s probably safe to say that all of them love to share their knowledge and experiences with others.

Here are just a few types of library/librarian blogs that I have been able to identify.

The thinker

One distinct type of librarian blog is what I call “the thinker.” This blogger loves to examine different library and technology issues and reports back with his/her thoughts and suggestions for improvement. The purpose of most of the posts is to bring light on important issues, to start a discussion and make the rest of us think, of course.

A good example of this type of blogger is the shifted librarian since many of her posts are reflective observations, thoughts, ideas, etc.

The resource blogger

Another type of blogger is the librarian who is on a mission to share as much information as possible. You will be able to find news, book reviews, links to useful information — basically anything and everything that a librarian should know.

Librarian in Black is in my option the perfect example of a good resource blogger, take a look at some of her posts and you’ll see what I mean.

The snarky librarian

These bloggers share their experiences to connect with other librarians who may be dealing with the same types of issues, but in a fun, snarky way. Being able to tell someone, even if it’s anonymously what you’re going through is a good way to stay sane in many jobs, not just the library.

@ the Library, A Librarian’s Guide to Etiquette, Librarian is the new Postal and the Society for Librarians* who say mofo are just a few of my favorites.

The patron blogger

The one thing that distinguishes the above mentioned bloggers to the “patron blogger” is the audience; they seek attention from other librarians and library professionals whereas this type of librarian focuses on library users. This blogger’s mission is to promote the library, the materials and services, and to offer a new window for patrons to the library.

Gerard Saylor of Lake Mills Library, along with many other librarians out there, blogs to engage his patrons. With the help of his library staff, Gerard writes (as well as videotapes for the library’s Utube channel) book reviews, notifies patrons of new additions to the library’s collection, blogs about CDs, DVDs, audio books and anything else the patron might be interested in.

Usually this type of blogger will try to use multiple sources to reach his audience, like Utube, Delicious, Facebook, Twitter, Flickr, and other social networking channels. More and more libraries are catching on to this trend; many starting out by engaging their younger readers.

My local library, here in Orland Park, started a Teen Blog that offers news, events, and information for teens. The library also has podcasts, an online discussion group, reading recommendations, a Delicious page and other resources specifically for teens.

So What Motivates Librarians to Blog?

There are countless reasons why librarians love to blog, but most importantly I think it’s the chance to connect with others. Sharing their insight, knowledge, experiences, teaching others, and connecting is what librarians do best!

Good thing we’re getting some experience with blogging, huh?

Further Reading

    •     The Blogging Libraries Wiki — links to hundreds of library blogs

    •     Edublog Awards — best librarian/library blogs

    •     LIS Wiki — more library and librarian blogs