[Web4lib] Successful book discussion blogs, anyone?

[Abramson, Alicia]

It is possible that a forum would be a more powerful tool, but what I'm
really getting at is the use of blogs for book discussions in
particular, since that would seem a natural way for libraries to
interact with their reading public.  As countless examples on the Web
show, blog writing can and does attract a fair amount of conversation in
the form of comments about postings, from communities interested in the
author and/or subject matter of the blog.

 

However, in the brief research I've done, visiting public library book
blogs listed at the "Blogging Libraries Wiki"
(http://www.blogwithoutalibrary.net/links/index.php?title=Public_librari
es) I haven't seen any examples yet of book related blogs that seem to
be generating much interaction from the public.

 

I guess a larger question is about library use of social technologies
and/or Web 2.0 technologies and whether they are living up to the hype
as far as user engagement and "connection" are concerned.  I say this
with the understanding that blogs emerged before the concepts of either
"social networking" or "Web 2.0" were fully formed or embraced by the
library community, but all the same are a newer way of achieving a back
and forth than the static Web.

 

Alicia

 

Alicia Abramson

Manager Library Information Technology

Berkeley Public Library

aabramson at ci.berkeley.ca.us

510-981-6131

________________________________

From: David Rothman [mailto:david.rothman at gmail.com] 
Sent: Thursday, July 12, 2007 12:28 PM
To: Jami Haskell
Cc: Abramson, Alicia; Web4lib at webjunction.org
Subject: Re: [Web4lib] Successful book discussion blogs, anyone?

 

Might a forum perhaps be a more powerful tool for facilitating book
discussion than a blog?

On 7/12/07, Jami Haskell <jamihaskell at gmail.com> wrote: 

Great question, Alicia! I would be interested in these responses as
well. We
are hoping to implement blogs for book discussions in the very near
future! 
Best,
Jami Haskell


On 7/12/07, Abramson, Alicia <AAbramson at ci.berkeley.ca.us> wrote:
>
> Does anyone have an example of a library-based book discussion blog
that 
> you would identify as successful?  We are doing our second attempt at
> one here at the Berkeley Public Library for our "Reading in Common"
> (i.e. citywide book reading) event:
> http://www.berkeleypubliclibrary.org/readingincommon/
>
>
>
> Last year's blog had a total of 8 comments over a 4 month period...and
I
> would like to see a more engaged discussion this year. 
>
>
>
> I would like to learn more about what the ingredients are of a
> successful online book discussion, and how have others managed to
> successfully engage their communities in the usage of blogs for book 
> discussions.
>
>
>
> Alicia
>
>
>
> Alicia Abramson
>
> Manager Library Information Technology
>
> Berkeley Public Library
>
> aabramson at ci.berkeley.ca.us
>
> 510-981-6131
>
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> Web4lib mailing list
> Web4lib at webjunction.org 
> http://lists.webjunction.org/web4lib/
>
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