I’m going to out myself as someone who is addicted to blogging. It may not seem like it here, but that’s maybe because when you have one blog that you are obsessively checking and updating, it’s hard to focus on other blogs. I have talked briefly about blogging before, but having gotten into it in depth. I started my first blog in early 2003. At that time, I really didn’t get into it, but I typed some nonsense into it sporadically and kept it going that way. My current blog is one that I started in January 2006 and I am already up to almost 1000 entries! It has been a great place for me post my drawings and paintings, babble on about this and that and fit in an occasional rant. I have my regular readers and regular blogs that I read every day. It can really be a full time job. Most of the blogs that I read are art blogs and I will (since this is my school blog) say that I have added librarian’s blogs as well, along with blogs on a few other subjects. One of the blogs I read is the International Rhino Foundation Blog. This is where I found out about the adopt a rhino program they have that resulted in me adopting, Andalas, the rhino pictured above. How cool is that? No, I cannot take him home, but I guess I helped feed him. I guess the point that I am getting at is that there are blogs on just about every subject out there and it is great to be able to connect with other people who have similar interests and learn from and share information with them.
As for blogging and libraries, there is so much that is being done and can be done with blogs. When I was searching for information for a project I was doing for a class last semester, I can across the Brookfield Zoo Library’s blog. This is a small, special library in Chicago that doesn’t have a website. I thought they had a great thing going, complete with information related to programs the zoo offers, book reviews, information about conservation, etc… It also on the sidebar has a series of links, including a link to e-mail the librarian a reference question. Unfortunately, they didn’t keep it up. The last post is from January of 2007. Very sad… I think blogs are a great resource for libraries, but only if they update them regularly and, especially, don’t abandon them completely.
Admitting your addiction is the first step! Seriously, I don’t know anyone who only reads one blog. It is usually several blogs or no blogs. I was talking with a law student yesterday who does not read a single blog. I feel very fortunate to be part of a field that values the revolution!