Results from Brainstorming Activity on best practices
Community Building Through Your Web Site: Library Blogs and RSS
Led by Michael Stephens,  Cherry Hill Library, July 20-21, 2006

1. “Drop everything and read.” (High School program) Comments can be open, but moderated ("edited for publishing") Let the students do RA work for us.
    

2. Create an Internal staff blog to build skills. Have staff subscribe to one library blog and report on it on internet blog.
    

3. Have an open session about blogging for staff; solicit volunteers to blog.
    

4. How to get staff to blog: draw on their info, their passions, whether or not it is directly related to library. (encourage staff members to blog about what interests them.)
    

5. Do an internal blog – start with training
    

6. How would an internal staff blog could operate differently from e-mail? Blog could be more visible/accessible. Make blog primary source of info for staff
    

7. Start with hosted blog – fewer technology problems and hurdles (blogger/etc.); Free and open
    

8. School – create blog to match to school project – post relevant resources – students could comment
    

9. Create a number of different blogs: Hot summer reads; Books we hate; Friends of library; Guilty pleasures
    

10. When posting, apply WWAC rule (Why would anyone care?)
     

11. What to blog (finding content):

    1. Get community involvement

    2. Local history: Partner with historical society

    3. Think who else you can partner with.
        

12. Use customer comments to appeal to funders – board, etc.
     

13. Blog on DVDs: Post about new dvds, old dvds.
     

14. Staff blog – how to get staff to use it.
     

15. Make default homepage the internal blog page – link to weather, Google search window
     

16. Blog idea: “Camden County has talent” – find out about local artists, writers, collectors – generate free program leads.
     

17. Blog idea: “Library horror stories” – chance to react respond to public thoughts/misconceptions about library service (suggestion – strongly moderate)

Program Objective

As a result of this program, participants will integrate blogs and RSS into their existing webpages, increasing communication and fostering conversations and connections between library staff and customers.  By the end of the day they will have at least one functioning blog, and be able to subscribe to and manage RSS feeds.

About Michael Stephens:
Michael has presented widely on the power of library blogging to strengthen community ties and engage customers with library services. His presentations are always inspiring, practical and fun. Michael’s program at PLA, on community building through your library website was one of the best and most talked about programs of the conference.

Learn more at Michael's popular blog, Tame The Web.

This program is made possible by special funding from the New Jersey State Library, an Affiliate of Thomas Edison State College.