Library blogging /

Blogging books are starting to abound, but one targeted for use by K-12 library media and technology specialists are few in number. Michael P. Sauers's Blogging and RSS: A Librarian's Guide (Information Today, 2006) might be useful for background information, but for those in a school setting, this slim volume provides not only the foundation (by defining blogging, providing examples, and giving the rationale for the necessity of having one in an academic setting), but also the nuts and bolts for creating and hosting school library blogs. The authors give basic information, so even novices will be able to understand not only the terminology, and be able to differentiate types of blogs, but will also gain skills in setting them up. Chapters on using Blogger, WordPress.com, WordPress.org, and Movable Type are useful in their screen-shot presentations, but users must carefully read the text to find the instructions. A chapter on related technologies, such as syndication, RSS, XML coding, mashups, photoblogging, and podcasting, is provided for those who want to delve further into Web 2.0 technologies. Most useful are the chapters "Why a Library Blog?" "What Is Possible with a Blog?" and "Blog Culture." Librarians needing more in-depth instruction may have to purchase a book that deals exclusively with a particular blogging software.-Angela Washington-Blair, Emmett J. Conrad High School, Dallas, TX (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.