At a recent conference day, many of us felt overwhelmed with new information and new technologies. I had just enough knowledge to grab onto Stephen Abram’s coat tails, hanging on for dear life as he flew through the world of Web/Library 2.0. The ride was exhilarating. But the very speed of these changes can be scary. Just when we were feeling competent with the Internet – look out – here we go again! Some of the new read/write web vocabulary is just barely familiar – and much of it might as well be Klingon. For librarians it can feel like too much, too fast. Sensory overload sets in and we are in danger of “tuning out”.

Let’s not do that.

School library blogs are a great way to communicate with our students, using their media of choice. So – let’s figure out if there is a way to work blogs into our library programs. To get the creative juices flowing – try finishing the following sentences. I’ve put in a few ideas to get the conversation going: (additions will appear in green text. Be sure to read the comments to find out who the authors of the comments are.)

I Will Blog Because: (How can I use a library blog to improve service to students? to faculty? to the library world?)

I will blog because my students pay attention to blogs

I will blog because it helps me share ideas with my school community

I will blog because it helps me expand my ideas with ideas from other people in the cyberworld who are thinking about the same things that I am thinking about

I will blog because I want to model social networking behavior for my colleagues and students.

I will blog because I need to “reinvent” myself as a Library Media Specialist in a changing world . . . once again!

I will blog because 42 minutes a day doesn’t really constitute an intellectual conversation.

I will blog because the daily news in circle time is much more authentic when we publish it and first grade students can go home and read it to their parents.

I will blog because I want to be part of a larger professional community.

I will blog about solutions instead of whinging about problems.

I will blog because there are so many conversations to have between us and our users.

I will blog because there are so many new things to learn about and test and report back on and this medium suits such things pretty darn well.

I will blog because when I ask a room full of librarians “How many of you have a blog at your library’s web site” and three hands out of 70 go up, there’s still a message to convey.

I will blog because I can easily store thoughts, data and bits of writing that I will need later and l know exactly where it is at all times.

I will blog because anyone can have a voice in the biblioblogoshpere and share themselves and their thinking and I relish the chance to point to some new thinker and hopefully comment on their words.

I will blog because it makes Michael Gorman look like a Big Goober for not getting that librarians + weblogs = a thriving community of practice that has enhanced my life and hopefully others.

I will blog because I’m inspired by librarians who do what they do so well.

I will blog because I like putting my self out there! 🙂

I will blog because as the world evolves our teaching models and practices need to be discussed and re-evaluated.

I will blog because the roads are too nasty today for me to get out to visit people in person!

I will blog because sometimes I need to vent my frustrations with this job. And sometimes I need to share my victories.

I will blog because I learn so much in the process of blogging–about the resources I write about, about html, about human nature, about myself–that Iwould otherwise not learn.

I will blog because of the thoughtful comments posted from around the world.

I will blog because SHARE is the librarian’s mantra, and information is a conversation.

I will blog because if I’ve learned something useful, there’s no point in hoarding that knowledge.

I will Blog Instead Of: (What will I do differently OR what will I give up to make time for blogging?)

I will create a “library news blog” instead of sending out a paper newsletter to my faculty & administration.

I will blog my ideas instead of saving my ideas to folders on my school computer

I will blog book reviews instead of posting reviews to my static website.

How will you finish the sentences? Please jump in and comment.