Week 8 - Websites, Wikis, and Blogs (oh my!)

This week I got to explore the world of websites, wikis and blogs (oh my!)  {Note - if you are too young to understand the movie reference that I made right there, then please let me know.  I would be happy to introduce you to one of the cinematic greats and the book that goes along with it!}

The internet has been inundated with blogs, wikis, and websites.  Kids think that everything they read on Wikipedia is true.  There is a blog for everything you can think of - food, running, parenting - you name it!  There are even "professional" bloggers.  Websites make the world go round.  Families pick schools based on the school website.  I check websites frequently for information about people and places.

So, what's the difference and which is best for a school library?

WEBSITES are the "traditional" way to post on the web.  While there are "easy" ways to make a website with Google Sites or other website builders, it is still challenging to create a website.  They are useful and can help get the word out about the library, but a website is really a way to distribute information.  There is not much you can do to foster a conversation on a website.

WIKIS are the new kid on the block.  You may have heard of Wikipedia.  These are websites that can be changed by any user.  It's a collaboration, so any registered user can alter the content.  (Hence the reason why teachers and librarians are a little nervous about Wikipedia.  Students believe anything they read on the Internet, but if any registered user can make changes, the content may not be accurate.)  Libraries can use wikis just like websites or blogs.  It is a way to get information out to the users.

BLOGS are my personal favorite.  A blog is a shortened way to say web log.  The owner of the blog can post to the site, adding pictures and narrative or videos or sound to the site.  Anything that has HTML can be added.  There is a little more room for interaction with the users because readers can comment on blog posts.

Let's look a little more closely at  BLOGS.

According to Google, a blog is a web site on which an individual or group of users record opinions, information, etc. on a regular basis.  

Pros

• Easy to create
• Easy to maintain
• Works like a website - links can be added
• Allows for two way communication between the blog owner and users

Cons

• It costs money to buy domain space to a blog.  Most blogs have the host in the web address.
• Unless the site is extremely popular, it can be difficult to search for a blog.

Great Examples

• The Daring Librarian - http://www.thedaringlibrarian.com/
• This blog is great because it is updated often and has a lot of information about technology for libraries.  The blog is a little busy for me - I prefer clean lines and white space (or blue space or anything that is not covered in print) but this blog has it all.  There is a link to Twitter.  There is a list of most popular blog posts.  Her library blog (http://daringlibrary.edublogs.org/) has some of the same information, but is a little less busy.
• Springston School Library Blog - http://springstonschoollibrary.blogspot.com/
• I love this this one is a blog disguised as a website.  There are headers with information about library procedures, links for reading, web resources, and resources for parents.  The blog is clean and easy to navigate.  Parents and students can use the blog as a 24 hour library.