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Sorry for the delay in posting a hit. I've been reading blogs for the last month, trying to understand how I might use them myself. Here's what I found, what I learned and what I'm reading. If you end up creating a blog, please let me know, I'd love to read yours too! Kim Original post: > I am curious to know who is keeping a professional journal and how it's benefited >you personally or professionally. If you're willing ot answer a few questions, I >would be greatly appreciative. > > 1. Why did you start a journal? Professional development? To act as a portfolio >for a job search? Other reasons? > 2. Is your journal paper, electronic (i.e. a Word Document), or online? > 3. If your journal is online, what are you using? How did you select the one you >are using? What are the benefits of your journal being online? >4. Please share your weblog if you're willing Responses: __________ Librarian in the Middle running at http://beiffert.net 1. I wanted to do more than just the occasional emails to librarians in the district, and I wanted an easier way to track resources. 2-4. online, using Wordpress. I trialed MovableType, but found that WP was easier, at least for me, to work with and seemed more flexible (multiple themes, user levels, plugins, easy backups). Install, up and running truly was less than 5 minutes. ________ I have a blog, but it is just stupidness about my life. Two friends from another listserv have blogs that deal with being a librarian Library Lady Rants http://www.libraryladymom.blog-city.com/ is a public librarian and Guusje is a http://www.guusjem.blogspot.com/ is a school librarian in Texas. am sure both of them would be willing to talk to you about it. If you post a comment to their blogs asking them they will probably get back to you. And they are fun to read! __________ I started keeping a sort of links memory page online, by using www.ikeepbookmarks.com and www.furl.net. Then I found I needed a way to make notes to myself, to record links to great websites, to copy down all those cool quotes in the signature lines on LM_Net :-) and to write out my thoughts on professional issues such as censorship, internet filtering, etc, so now I keep a journal of sorts online. I like Google's blog service, www.blogger.com. I ended up with a blogger account because I had to create a user name in order to comment on another blog. I can access it from home, while traveling, etc. Somewhat to my dismay, I found that our Internet filter won't let me access this from work, but that's probably all for the best...I'm not tempted to edit it from work! At the moment it's not a "public" blog. I'm still sort of wrestling with some of the issues surrounding them: privacy issues, intellectual property issues (are the activities I plan, and the policies I implement solely "mine" or do I share ownership with my employer, since I created them on "their" time?) and legal issues. There have been some interesting tidbits in the news about bloggers reprimanded or even fired for blog content. __________ “Bloglines is the most comprehensive, integrated service for searching, subscribing, publishing and sharing news feeds, blogs, and rich Web content. It's free and easy-to-use.” (from the Bloglines site). Bloglines is how I read the blogs I’m interested in. You can see the list I suggest by clicking on the link below. To create a Bloglines account (this is a way to read what’s been updated on multiple blogs all in one place) use this link http://www.bloglines.com/recsubs?id=k4IAADXt_Qo and create a username and password. There will then be a list of the feeds which might be of interest to you as a school librarian. __________ Articles on blogging or professional journaling: Title: educational blogging. Authors: Clyde, Laurel A. Source: Teacher Librarian; Feb2005, Vol. 32 Issue 3, p43, 3p Abstract: Discusses the use of weblogs in education. Definition of weblogs according Theresa Ross Embrey; List of weblogs that are useful as sources of professional information for teachers and teacher-librarians; Use of weblogs to promote literacy in the classroom. Title: Blogs Move Student Learning Beyond the Classroom: An Interview With Alex Halavais. Source: Online Classroom; Dec2004, p4, 2p Abstract: Presents an interview with Alex Halavais, assistant professor of communication and graduate director of informatics at the University of Buffalo, on the use of weblogs in education. Differences between blogs and threaded discussions; How Halavais prepares his students to use blogs in a course; Types of materials posted by students; Importance of demonstrating the value of blogs to students; How the instructor's role has changed when using blogs with students; Title: Eight Steps for Keeping Current. Authors: Cohen, Steven M. Source: Knowledge Quest; Sep/Oct2004, Vol. 33 Issue 1, p40, 2p Abstract: The article presents information on the use of currency techniques. Whether it be e-mail alert services, professional journals, Web site monitoring software packages, weblogs, electronic mailing lists, or Really Simple Syndication (RSS), one should choose the methods that best suit the needs. Currency techniques depend not only on the users knowledge and use of the tools, but the situations in which keeping current is being practiced. Whatever method one uses to keep current, take it slow at first. If one chooses to monitor weblogs, read ten to fifteen on a daily basis. Have the new posts from library weblogs come to you via e-mail or an RSS aggregator. Title: Journaling: Telling Your Professional "Story". Authors: Miller, Donna Source: Library Media Connection; Oct2003, Vol. 22 Issue 2, p32, 3p Abstract: This article focuses on differences between professional and personal journaling. The most obvious difference is that a professional journal is used to record events, emotions, milestones and other items that relate to one's career. Beyond that techniques for writing in a professional journal can be very similar to those used for personal journal writing. Such devices as prompts, questions, reflections, free writing and other tools can be used in both types of journals. The message rather than the medium differentiates these two types of journals. Tools, strategies and devices that apply to all types of journals as well as those items that primarily apply to professional journal writing are relevant to and important for library media specialists. Kimberly A. Brosan, Librarian Andrew G. Curtin Middle School Willamsport, PA 17701 mailto:kbrosan@wasd.org Ancora Imparo ~ Michelangelo "I am still learning." -------------------------------------------------------------------- All LM_NET postings are protected by copyright law. 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