Blogging the Outback : The GWAHS Libraries Blog Don Keast Research Librarian Far West Health Library Broken Hill

The GWAHS Libraries Blog www.gwahslibrariesblog.blogspot . com

Greater Western Area Health Service (GWAHS) 55.52 % of New South Wales 444900 sq km 1.5 times the size of Italy 2.05 times the size of the British Isles 6.53 times the size of Tasmania Some distances Broken Hill – Bathurst 960 km Collarenebri – Wentworth 1186 km Broken Hill – Gosford 1194 km

55.52 % of New South Wales

444900 sq km

1.5 times the size of Italy

2.05 times the size of the British Isles

6.53 times the size of Tasmania

Some distances

Broken Hill – Bathurst 960 km

Collarenebri – Wentworth 1186 km

Broken Hill – Gosford 1194 km

GREATER WESTERN AHS

GWAHS LIBRARIES Far West Health Library, Broken Hill (University of Sydney) Dubbo Base Hospital Library Orange Base Hospital Library Centre for Rural & Remote Mental Health, Orange (Uni. of Newcastle) Health Information Service, Bathurst

Far West Health Library, Broken Hill (University of Sydney)

Dubbo Base Hospital Library

Orange Base Hospital Library

Centre for Rural & Remote Mental Health, Orange (Uni. of Newcastle)

Health Information Service, Bathurst

ORIGINS OF THE GWAHS LIBRARIES BLOG Need to give better services to remote users Need for the GWAHS Libraries to strengthen their networked services Need to seek alternatives to an inadequate email server Inspired by Online 2007 !!

Need to give better services to remote users

Need for the GWAHS Libraries to strengthen their networked services

Need to seek alternatives to an inadequate email server

Inspired by Online 2007 !!

AIMS AND PHILOSOPHY Focuses on resources which may be useful to health staff in rural locations An emphasis on free material available both on the web and elsewhere An emphasis on rural health and indigenous health All library staff (and interested others) invited to become authors

Focuses on resources which may be useful to health staff in rural locations

An emphasis on free material available both on the web and elsewhere

An emphasis on rural health and indigenous health

All library staff (and interested others) invited to become authors

CREATION OF THE BLOG Select a host Open public access software (Blogger) used so that staff of all libraries can post Choose template Begin posting

Select a host

Open public access software (Blogger) used so that staff of all libraries can post

Choose template

Begin posting

SOURCES OF BLOG POSTS List serves Newsletters Emails Library acquisitions of special interest Some contributions from library users Most important of all …. Serendipity !! No RSS feeds …. We’re still beginners !

List serves

Newsletters

Emails

Library acquisitions of special interest

Some contributions from library users

Most important of all …. Serendipity !!

No RSS feeds …. We’re still beginners !

FEATURES Monthly summaries sent to GWAHS staff via email Links to GWAHS libraries from blog Comments invited on posts All GWAHS libraries invited to post Concentrates on useful resources rather than a traditional library blog

Monthly summaries sent to GWAHS staff via email

Links to GWAHS libraries from blog

Comments invited on posts

All GWAHS libraries invited to post

Concentrates on useful resources rather than a traditional library blog

BLOG STATISTICS Began February 2007 Average posts 12-15 per month Average hits now 600 + per month

Began February 2007

Average posts 12-15 per month

Average hits now 600 + per month

RESULTS AND FEEDBACK Good feedback from users (including remote areas) Much of feedback from areas without libraries (Grenfell, Coonamble, Mudgee, Menindee, Gilgandra, Goodooga etc) Monthly email summaries lead to increase in hits

Good feedback from users (including remote areas)

Much of feedback from areas without libraries (Grenfell, Coonamble, Mudgee, Menindee, Gilgandra, Goodooga etc)

Monthly email summaries lead to increase in hits

ADVANTAGES Great way to reach isolated users Excellent method of collating stray emails and miscellaneous information Free software including archiving Encourages a team approach to information sharing between libraries Promotes a unified library service to users Reduces overcrowding on email servers

Great way to reach isolated users

Excellent method of collating stray emails and miscellaneous information

Free software including archiving

Encourages a team approach to information sharing between libraries

Promotes a unified library service to users

Reduces overcrowding on email servers

DISADVANTAGES AND PROBLEMS Poor internet access throughout GWAHS (40% staff on network) Often difficult to obtain useful posts Some pressure to keep adding new posts Rural library staff inexperienced bloggers User unfamiliarity with the technology (not so much a new resource as a culture change !)

Poor internet access throughout GWAHS (40% staff on network)

Often difficult to obtain useful posts

Some pressure to keep adding new posts

Rural library staff inexperienced bloggers

User unfamiliarity with the technology (not so much a new resource as a culture change !)

GWAHS LIBRARIES BLOG www.gwahslibrariesblog.blogspot.com