Blogs for Medical Librarians Mayo Libraries 2.0 July 18th, 2007

David Rothman Medical Library Geek (Community General Hospital – Syracuse, NY) Published recently on MedLib technology in MRSQ, JHL & MLA News. Co-creator, LibWorm LIS Search Engine ( http://www.libworm.com/ ) Blogger ( http://davidrothman.net and www.clrc.org/blog / )

Medical Library Geek (Community General Hospital – Syracuse, NY)

Published recently on MedLib technology in MRSQ, JHL & MLA News.

Co-creator, LibWorm LIS Search Engine ( http://www.libworm.com/ )

Blogger ( http://davidrothman.net and www.clrc.org/blog / )

davidrothman.net 7,000 Unique Visits in June 2007 900-1000 subscribers, mostly medical librarians Most linked-to English-language MedLib blog Currently ranked in the top 15 healthcare blogs

7,000 Unique Visits in June 2007

900-1000 subscribers, mostly medical librarians

Most linked-to English-language MedLib blog

Currently ranked in the top 15 healthcare blogs

What’s a blog? A blog isn’t an online diary anymore than a book is a 19 th -century English Novel . CONTAINER CONTENT NOT an “online diary” A blog is a particular kind of Web site.

A blog isn’t an online diary anymore than a book is a 19 th -century English Novel .

CONTAINER CONTENT

What makes a Web site a blog? Dated entries in reverse-chronological order Interface that lets the blog’s author(s) easily and quickly create and update content - even with absolutely zero knowledge of Web geekery. Other features that almost all blogs have: Comments Archives

Dated entries in reverse-chronological order

Interface that lets the blog’s author(s) easily and quickly create and update content - even with absolutely zero knowledge of Web geekery.

Other features that almost all blogs have:

Comments

Archives

Why call this kind of site a “blog”? Web log

Web

Blogosphere : “… a collective term encompassing all blogs and their interconnections. It is the perception that blogs exist together as a connected community…” ( Wikipedia ) Biblio blogosphere : Encompassing library blogs (biblioblogs). ‘ Spheres

Blogosphere : “… a collective term encompassing all blogs and their interconnections. It is the perception that blogs exist together as a connected community…” ( Wikipedia )

Biblio blogosphere : Encompassing library blogs (biblioblogs).

What’s the big deal? Blogs make publishing easy, affordable and immediate for anybody . Blogs fill niches (long tail, etc.) More on this later…

Blogs make publishing easy, affordable and immediate for anybody .

Blogs fill niches (long tail, etc.)

More on this later…

Why Read Blogs? Current Awareness Immediate, no delays as in print Personal, informal, friendly, trusted voices – not impersonal, monolithic institutions or publications. Help filter the avalanche of new information

Current Awareness

Immediate, no delays as in print

Personal, informal, friendly, trusted voices – not impersonal, monolithic institutions or publications.

Help filter the avalanche of new information

Every sort What sort of blogs are available? We’ll start with MedLib blogs.

Types of MedLib Blogs By library staff, for library staff By library staff, for patrons By professional associations for members By medical libraryfolk, for medical libraryfolk By medical libraryfolk for laypeople

By library staff, for library staff

By library staff, for patrons

By professional associations for members

By medical libraryfolk, for medical libraryfolk

By medical libraryfolk for laypeople

U of Michigan HSL Staff Blog

Google Scholar Blog (Dean Giustini )

The Krafty Librarian (Michelle Kraft)

T. Scott Plutchak

UBC Physio Info Blog (Eugene Barsky )

JMLA Case Studiesin Health Sciences Librarianship

Clinical Evidence, Searching Tidbits , and Other Minutiae (Becky Jerome)

Women's Health News(Rachel Walden)

NN/LM Blogs MidContinental Region , Middle Atlantic Region , Greater Midwest Region , South Central Region , Pacific Northwest Region , Pacific Southwest Region , Southeastern Atlantic Region

BHIC ( Siobhan Champ-Blackwell)

But why stop with MedLib Blogs?

But why stop with MedLib Blogs?

Kevin, M.D.

Polite Dissent

Information Wants to be Free(Meredith Farkas )

Circ & Serve (Mary Chimato )

Where do I find more blogs? LibWorm Masterlist of MedLib Blogs MLA-HLS Wiki list of blogs for Hospital Librarians Healthcare 100 MedWorm Always remember: “Popular” is a poor substitute for “authoritative” or even “high quality.” Illustration of this: The New Kids on the Block had two albums go to #1 in both the US and the UK .

LibWorm

Masterlist of MedLib Blogs

MLA-HLS Wiki list of blogs for Hospital Librarians

Healthcare 100

MedWorm

Always remember: “Popular” is a poor substitute for “authoritative” or even “high quality.”

Illustration of this: The New Kids on the Block had two albums go to #1 in both the US and the UK .

Masterlist of MedLib Blogs

Healthcare 100

Why start a blog? Enhance communication among staff Enhance communication with patrons Community outreach Professional development Identity Management

Enhance communication among staff

Enhance communication with patrons

Community outreach

Professional development

Identity Management

What I get from blogging Motivation to pursue current awareness Opportunities to write for JHL, MRSQ, MLA News, JMLA and LJ Opportunities to speak Contact with like-minded others and prominent voices in LIS and medicine (e.g. Melissa Rethlefsen, Tom Easley, AMA News) My work appearing in books and CE courses, reviewer/referee for CIL and HILJ. Building a reputation How else could such things have been accomplished as quickly?

Motivation to pursue current awareness

Opportunities to write for JHL, MRSQ, MLA News, JMLA and LJ

Opportunities to speak

Contact with like-minded others and prominent voices in LIS and medicine (e.g. Melissa Rethlefsen, Tom Easley, AMA News)

My work appearing in books and CE courses, reviewer/referee for CIL and HILJ.

Building a reputation

How else could such things have been accomplished as quickly?

Questions?

Thank you! David Rothman http:// davidrothman.net [email_address]

David Rothman

http:// davidrothman.net

[email_address]