A blog (or web log) is an easy to use online tool to communicate with your community. You can have a blog in addition to your library’s website (or can even use a blog for your website), and it can be general for your library’s whole community or specifically for kids and/or teens. Here are just a few ideas:
How do we get started?
- Have a teen or adult volunteer(s) initially set up the blog. After that, it’s really easy to maintain and update!
- Or, create a blog on your own. Popular blog tools include WordPress and Blogger. Follow the tutorials to set up your blog.
- Have a contest to name your blog! You can also have a contest to design bookmarks promoting your blog, with its web address.
What can my library blog about for kids and/or teens?
- Post book and movie reviews—from print sources, staff, and young patrons
- Talk up upcoming programs—and rave about recent programs (make sure to include photos!)
- Transcribe interviews with recent or upcoming performers or local authors
- List new arrivals in the library
- Include info on your Summer Reading Program
- Announce non-library local events, websites, articles, and other resources relevant to your audience—and mention a book or two in your collection relevant to the announcement for further reading
- Once a month, feature a DVD, CD, or magazine from your collection, and/or a magazine title in Magazines Online or one of your library’s subscription databases
- Offer entries for parents and teachers, too
- Post game reviews and other tech info
But how do we find the time????
Yes, this is a huge question! Here are a few ideas to manage it:
- Take turns posting on the blog with other staff and/or volunteers. If there are 4 of you working on the blog, each of you only needs to make 1 post every week, or even every other week.
- Aim to spend about 15 to 30 minutes a week on the blog. This puts the time commitment in perspective and makes seem not quite so bad…
- Charge your Teen Advisory Group, or several regular teen patrons, with posting new material to the blog
What’s next?
- Aim to post an entry at least once a week to keep patrons interested
- Promote your new blog widely
- Ask for contributions and ideas for the blog; not only will this give you ideas and material, it also will generate buy-in and create a sense of ownership amongst readers
How about some examples?
- The Daily Dragon: http://dreyfusdragon.blogspot.com/
- The Wild Rumpus: http://www.chplyouthservices.blogspot.com/
- CCLS Young Adult Spot: http://cclyaspot.blogspot.com/
- Birth to 6: http://cclyaspot.blogspot.com/ (for parents)
- TeenThing: http://thelibrary.org/teens/teens.cfm
-
Three Turtles and Their Pet Librarian: http://3tnar.blogspot.com/
This creative blog by the Alamogordo Public Library offers book and library-product reviews from turtles named Freaky, Fegan and Squirt. This way, no one can be upset at the library over bad reviews—it’s the turtles that are blogging!
