USING BLOGS TO PROMOTE READING

AND SCHOOL LIBRARIES

Kelly L. Knight

Librarian, Fork Shoals School

A LITTLE BACKGROUND…

How Kelly became

Knight Reader…

WHY BLOG?

Blogs allow users to communicate about a variety of different

subjects. In a school library or classroom, blogs allow students to

share information about what they’re learning or reading, making

them active participants in their own learning and the learning of

others, not just in their schools but in the larger world around them.

Students are going to communicate via blogging, social networking,

and any other way they can find, with or without our influence. Why

not use those tools for an educational purpose? Along the way, we

may just teach them how to communicate appropriately and safely.

BEFORE YOU START BLOGGING…

Consider what you want the mission of your blog to be. Do you want

to only focus on reviewing books? Do you want your blog to be a

promotional tool for your library or classroom? Think about what you

want out of your blog and who your target audience is before you start.

Explore the different blogging programs. There are a lot out there,

and some are blocked in schools. Make sure you don’t start a blog that

people in your school will be unable to use. (Educators in Greenville

County Schools must use the district blog server if they want to

promote it through websites, email signatures, or other avenues.

WHEN YOU’RE READY TO ENTER THE BLOGOSPHERE…

Share your ideas for your blog with your administration and teachers. If they

don’t buy in and get excited about what you’re doing, your students won’t either.

If you’re a school librarian, work with a few classroom teachers on some

blogging lessons. Teach students about how blogs work, netiquette, how to post

comments, writing book reviews, and any other skills you deem important.

If you’re a classroom teacher, work with your school librarian. I promise you

that he/she will be helpful in using this Web 2.0 tool!

Look to other professionals for ideas if you get “blogger’s block.”

When you’re teaching lessons on blogging, have at least ten posts ready to go

so that students have options when learning how to post comments.

THINGS TO CONSIDER

Make sure you keep the safety of your users in mind. If you or your

principal are uncomfortable using real names, have your students

create pen names. (They have a lot of fun with this, too!)

It’s vital to instruct your students on the rules of netiquette. You may

have to re-teach these rules quite often.

Post to your blog often (at least once per week)!!!! If you neglect

your blog, your users will, too!

Have fun with blogging! Let your students know that you love what

you’re doing. Your enthusiasm will be contagious!

HOW CAN YOU USE BLOGS TO PROMOTE READING?

Create a blog of book reviews.

Establish an online book club where students discuss

books they’re reading for class or for their own

entertainment.

Start a library blog as a marketing tool.• Promote library activities.• Announce arrival of new books.• Share award lists and themed book lists.• Post student reviews and invite parents, teachers, and authors to

comment.

IF YOU PLAN TO CREATE A BOOK REVIEW BLOG…

Read, read, read! When you think you can’t read anymore, keep

reading!

Post often. You’ve got to give people reasons to keep coming back to

your blog.

Be honest. Don’t give a good review to a book you hated. Your

readers will count on you to lead them to books they might enjoy.

Also, let your personality show in your writing. (This is especially true

when writing YA book reviews. If you’re naturally sarcastic, don’t hold

back!)

HOW CAN YOU PROMOTE YOUR NEW BLOG?

Place a link to your blog on your email signature, your website, and on

your school’s website.

Send out information on the blog in your newsletter.

Let the local media know that you’re doing something new to promote

reading (or whatever else you may be blogging about).

Share the information with your colleagues at meetings and

conferences and through email and listservs.

Provide incentives to students and teachers who comment on your blog.

(I got permission from my principal to do this for our summer reading

program.)

Tell all of your friends on Facebook, Twitter, or Pinterest!

MY BLOGS

Knight Reader• District-approved site• Blog I like the most and update most often

Fork Shoals Reads!

Knight Reader Junior

Adventures in Library Land

HIGHLIGHTS OF MY LIFE AS A BLOGGER

Comments from authors

Comments from readers around the world

People who use my reviews to create their

reading lists

Students getting excited about communicating

with others about books, libraries, and reading

FOR BOOK REVIEW AND AUTHOR BLOGS…

Visit Knight Reader at

http://knightreader.wordpress.com,

and go to the “Blogs to Watch” page.

Please add any other blogs you find in the comments, and I’ll add them to the main page.

FINAL COMMENTS AND QUESTIONS

Don’t be afraid to try something new. If it doesn’t work, adapt and try

something else. Remember those all-important words—monitor and adjust.

If you’d like any of the lesson plans or materials I’ve used to teach blogging

at the elementary level, you can email me at klknight@greenville.k12.sc.us.

You can also email me with questions, concerns, gripes, and anything else

when you’re starting your own blogs. I’ll do whatever I can to help you

create a successful blog!

Questions?