Creating and maintaining a blog: the Archives Hub Blog

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Creating and Creating and maintaining a blog maintaining a blog - and - - and - the Archives Hub the Archives Hub experience experience Jane Stevenson & Amanda Hill Jane Stevenson & Amanda Hill

description

An introduction to blogging for archivists, presented at the Sharing Made Simple training course, 5 June 2007

Transcript of Creating and maintaining a blog: the Archives Hub Blog

Page 1: Creating and maintaining a blog: the Archives Hub Blog

Creating and maintaining Creating and maintaining a bloga blog- and -- and -

the Archives Hub the Archives Hub experienceexperience

Jane Stevenson & Amanda HillJane Stevenson & Amanda Hill

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What is a blog?What is a blog? Short for WeblogShort for Weblog Diary-type commentaryDiary-type commentary Individual / topic basedIndividual / topic based Personal reflections, news, events, Personal reflections, news, events,

reviews, analysisreviews, analysis Typical blog: text, images, comments, Typical blog: text, images, comments,

archive, links to other related sites, archive, links to other related sites, feedfeed

Part of Web 2.0 – social, collaborativePart of Web 2.0 – social, collaborative

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First thoughtsFirst thoughts

It is easy to set a blog up…It is easy to set a blog up…

but:but: What is its purpose?What is its purpose? What are the advantages of doing it?What are the advantages of doing it? Will you make regular entries?Will you make regular entries? Over 70 million blogs; large number Over 70 million blogs; large number

not usednot used

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Why create a blog?Why create a blog?

Raise awarenessRaise awareness Build connectionsBuild connections Articulate your thoughtsArticulate your thoughts Enable feedback (comment)Enable feedback (comment) An accessible means of communication An accessible means of communication

that takes very little time to set upthat takes very little time to set up Keep in tune with current technologiesKeep in tune with current technologies

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Why not create a blogWhy not create a blog

Nobody will read it…?Nobody will read it…? Pressure to blogPressure to blog Need to keep up with…everythingNeed to keep up with…everything Danger of indiscretion Danger of indiscretion Other avenues of communication are Other avenues of communication are

more effectivemore effective Better not to have a blog than one you Better not to have a blog than one you

hardly usehardly use

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Blog approachesBlog approaches

FormalFormal– repository news; organised events; repository news; organised events;

announcements; critiqueannouncements; critique

InformalInformal– general news; comments; anecdotes; general news; comments; anecdotes;

humour; discussion; personal humour; discussion; personal experiences; raise ideasexperiences; raise ideas

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Setting up a blogSetting up a blog

Easy to create, edit and publishEasy to create, edit and publish Use of blog hosting serviceUse of blog hosting service Keep blog files on own system (FTP) Keep blog files on own system (FTP) Maintenance usually through browser-based Maintenance usually through browser-based

interfaceinterface Set up: register; choose template; a few Set up: register; choose template; a few

settingssettings …that’s about it for a basic …that’s about it for a basic blogblog

Proofread, spell check, cite sources, add Proofread, spell check, cite sources, add plenty of linksplenty of links

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Blogs and RSSBlogs and RSS

RSS/Atom feed for your blog RSS/Atom feed for your blog Syndication (process)Syndication (process) RSS/Atom (technology)RSS/Atom (technology) Feed readers display new postsFeed readers display new posts New items automatically discovered New items automatically discovered

and downloadedand downloaded Many feed readers (Netvibes)Many feed readers (Netvibes)

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Maintaining a blogMaintaining a blog

Group blog Group blog

(works well with more informal blog)(works well with more informal blog) Guest bloggersGuest bloggers Blog entries that encourage Blog entries that encourage

comments (may increase motivation!)comments (may increase motivation!) Visit and comment on other blogsVisit and comment on other blogs Check reactions to your blog Check reactions to your blog

(Technorati)(Technorati)

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Archives Hub BlogArchives Hub Blog

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Why?Why? Part of Hub mission is to act as a centre of Part of Hub mission is to act as a centre of

expertise on electronic cataloguingexpertise on electronic cataloguing

Pride ourselves on being quick to react to new Pride ourselves on being quick to react to new developments in technology within the servicedevelopments in technology within the service

Means we keep an eye on interoperability issues, Means we keep an eye on interoperability issues, new reports etc.new reports etc.

Mechanism for updating each other and Hub Mechanism for updating each other and Hub contributors on items of interestcontributors on items of interest

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How?How?

Set up blog using Blogger in February Set up blog using Blogger in February 20062006

Very easy to doVery easy to do

Blogger offers option of hosting blog Blogger offers option of hosting blog on our own website:on our own website:– www.archiveshub.ac.uk/blog/www.archiveshub.ac.uk/blog/

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What happened next…What happened next…

Experimental serviceExperimental service

Announcements about Hub developmentsAnnouncements about Hub developments

Reports on conferences attended, reviews Reports on conferences attended, reviews of publicationsof publications

Special featuresSpecial features

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BenefitsBenefits

Helps to build team spirit – a joint Helps to build team spirit – a joint efforteffort

RSS/Atom feeds of posts come as RSS/Atom feeds of posts come as standard – content can be presented standard – content can be presented in ways that best suit the usersin ways that best suit the users

SometimesSometimes get conversations going get conversations going

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More benefitsMore benefits

Raises awareness of Archives Hub Raises awareness of Archives Hub beyond our usual constituencybeyond our usual constituency

Starts up new dialoguesStarts up new dialogues

Makes us more thoughtful about Makes us more thoughtful about what we’re doing and whywhat we’re doing and why

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Own hosting has some issuesOwn hosting has some issues

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Control freakeryControl freakery

See who is linking to your blogSee who is linking to your blog See how authoritative your blog isSee how authoritative your blog is Even see how much it’s worth!Even see how much it’s worth!