Raising our local profile
Submitted by karenbjork on Wed, 2007-02-14 02:03.
After listening to Ann Welsh’s presentation this morning I started to think about how my institution could use a blog as a way to promote our library and archives collections.
I like the idea of using a blog as a way of keeping patrons informed about newly cataloged or processed material but what if you had very few patrons that use your services on a regular basis? Because we don’t, many of our patrons come from outside the Helena area and even outside of Montana. Consequently, the following questions are currently swimming around my brain:
- Could a blog help raise our profile among the local population?
- Before starting a blog how do you determine who your local target audience is?
- With such a wide range of researchers from the general public interested in researching family history to the school kid needing information for a school project to an academic historian, can you structure a blog to reach individual audiences?
- How could we, through a blog, get people excited about their local history?
- Would creating a weekly blog such as “This Week in Helena History” be a good starting point?
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Hi Karen- I'm milling over
Hi Karen-
I'm milling over the same thoughts at the OSU Archives.
I've started by making a blog the main content section of our webpage (http://osulibrary.oregonstate.edu/archives/). I don't have a clear focus, but try to include information I think people might be interested in. The history of medicine librarian at OHSU has a REALLY great blog (http://ohsu-hca.blogspot.com/index.html), and I try to copy her style.
I love the idea of a "this week in history" or "notes and news" or "identify this photo" or anything else that might make archives more "alive" to patrons.
I was pretty sure no one read ours, but then a grad student applied for a job I posted there...
Tiah, what a wonderful
Tiah, what a wonderful idea; your blog at OSU seems to answer some of my questions regarding how a blog could be used in an archives setting. Thanks for sharing.
Check the lower-left-hand
Check the lower-left-hand corner of the Wisconsin Historical Society website for "Today in History" and "Odd Wisconsin," both of which are blogs that are syndicated via RSS feed (this technique coming next week to a Five Weeks near you!) to the front page.
A recent post in Odd Wisconsin discusses frankly how they keep it going day-in and day-out.
Hi Karen I've got lots to
Hi Karen
I've got lots to say about working out your audience, but v. little time (on pay-as-you-go dial-up at the moment!!!), so this is just a holding response:
I'd always say start with the audience you know first - especially if you've got 'regulars' you can ask for feedback. I learned so much from my regular patrons when I started blogging for them. Once I'd hammered down a style that I felt comfortable with and they liked, it was easier to get into my stride. (I'm a great believer that confidence can be gained by big success in small, incremental things). I started in my comfort zone - cultural history and, over time, moved further and further into things that I never thought I could have anything valid to say on.
There was a great presentation at Internet Librarian International last year based around the festival calendar of somewhere in mainland Europe - I'll pop the link up next Tuesday for you, as it might give you some inspiration for a local history theme.
Also next Tuesday I'll put a blog post up on catering for different interest groups. From the outside it may look like alcohol and drugs are alcohol and drugs ... but education people have way different interests from treatment people who have different interests from policy makers who have different interests from medical groups like doctors and pharmacists who have different interests from cultural historians ... anyway, more of that next Tuesday.
Best
Anne
http://drugscope.blogspot.com