Comments on: Draft Blog Guidelines http://freerangelibrarian.com/2006/12/30/draft-blog-guidelines/ K.G. Schneider's blog on librarianship, writing, and everything else Fri, 10 Feb 2012 17:59:46 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1.1 By: Craig Hayward http://freerangelibrarian.com/2006/12/30/draft-blog-guidelines/comment-page-1/#comment-3137 Craig Hayward Fri, 05 Jan 2007 20:38:16 +0000 http://www.freerangelibrarian.com/2006/12/30/draft-blog-guidelines/#comment-3137 Well done. It is very refreshing to read some guidelines that cover new types of policies for a new age. In the Web 2.0 and Library 2.0 world we need to think about all things tied to a concept. The technology is great and very important for reaching our audience, but often we miss the important big picture details and get lost in wow factor of the tool. Thanks for sharing, Craig. Well done. It is very refreshing to read some guidelines that cover new types of policies for a new age. In the Web 2.0 and Library 2.0 world we need to think about all things tied to a concept. The technology is great and very important for reaching our audience, but often we miss the important big picture details and get lost in wow factor of the tool. Thanks for sharing, Craig.

]]> By: kgs http://freerangelibrarian.com/2006/12/30/draft-blog-guidelines/comment-page-1/#comment-3136 kgs Thu, 04 Jan 2007 02:27:01 +0000 http://www.freerangelibrarian.com/2006/12/30/draft-blog-guidelines/#comment-3136 Alane, I like your points. Walt, chewing over your input. (Long day. Brain tired. Needs rest. :> ) Alane, I like your points. Walt, chewing over your input. (Long day. Brain tired. Needs rest. :> )

]]> By: Jenny Levine http://freerangelibrarian.com/2006/12/30/draft-blog-guidelines/comment-page-1/#comment-3135 Jenny Levine Wed, 03 Jan 2007 16:10:51 +0000 http://www.freerangelibrarian.com/2006/12/30/draft-blog-guidelines/#comment-3135 Perfect timing, as I will be writing a best practices document for ALA staff bloggers. Thank you! Perfect timing, as I will be writing a best practices document for ALA staff bloggers. Thank you!

]]> By: Walter Underwood http://freerangelibrarian.com/2006/12/30/draft-blog-guidelines/comment-page-1/#comment-3134 Walter Underwood Wed, 03 Jan 2007 01:21:41 +0000 http://www.freerangelibrarian.com/2006/12/30/draft-blog-guidelines/#comment-3134 I would clearly separate the rules and the advice. Also, think about what it means to break one of the rules. Does the university do something if a blog doesn't check facts? If it isn't updated frequently? If a posting is a personal attack on someone else? If an employee's performance evaluation is posted? Some of these rules may be different for tenured faculty and for staff, some will get you fired, and some don't matter. In the <a href="http://www-03.ibm.com/developerworks/blogs/page/jasnell?entry=blogging_ibm" rel="nofollow">IBM blogging guidelines</a>, the first rule is to follow the existing IBM Business Conduct Guidelines. There is some additional info around that, but the blogging guidelines do not simplify or even restate the general business conduct guidelines. That is a good idea. It doesn't work to have separate rules for blogging, so you need to reference existing organizational guidelines whereever they apply. If those don't work for blogging, they need fixed. The advice is good, by the way. I might separate the "found content" bit into a separate item, noting that information needs to be useful but it doesn't need to be original. You might spend some time thinking of valid blogs that violate one of the rules. The art department is a good place to start. What about a photograph that already has a different copyright and can't use creative commons? Does that mean they can't publicize their gallery with university blog? I would clearly separate the rules and the advice. Also, think about what it means to break one of the rules. Does the university do something if a blog doesn’t check facts? If it isn’t updated frequently? If a posting is a personal attack on someone else? If an employee’s performance evaluation is posted? Some of these rules may be different for tenured faculty and for staff, some will get you fired, and some don’t matter.

In the IBM blogging guidelines, the first rule is to follow the existing IBM Business Conduct Guidelines. There is some additional info around that, but the blogging guidelines do not simplify or even restate the general business conduct guidelines. That is a good idea.

It doesn’t work to have separate rules for blogging, so you need to reference existing organizational guidelines whereever they apply. If those don’t work for blogging, they need fixed.

The advice is good, by the way. I might separate the “found content” bit into a separate item, noting that information needs to be useful but it doesn’t need to be original.

You might spend some time thinking of valid blogs that violate one of the rules. The art department is a good place to start. What about a photograph that already has a different copyright and can’t use creative commons? Does that mean they can’t publicize their gallery with university blog?

]]> By: Alane http://freerangelibrarian.com/2006/12/30/draft-blog-guidelines/comment-page-1/#comment-3133 Alane Tue, 02 Jan 2007 20:22:35 +0000 http://www.freerangelibrarian.com/2006/12/30/draft-blog-guidelines/#comment-3133 Existing organizational communication guidelines may be sufficient as long as it's clear blogging is included in the types of communications covered. There are, we think, some things that are sufficiently different about blogging that warrant particular mention as rules or guidelines. The issue of "shouldn't people just know" what to do or not to do has come up as we've been working on guidelines for blogging at OCLC. Most of us said "yes, but...." The "but" includes new employees who may not know that certain kinds of topics are verboten (particularly if they come from a different field); people who think blogging on a personal blog about work stuff is OK; and people who really do need reining in for whatever reasons. Once the OCLC guidelines are done (ie, approved) we'd be happy to share. Existing organizational communication guidelines may be sufficient as long as it’s clear blogging is included in the types of communications covered. There are, we think, some things that are sufficiently different about blogging that warrant particular mention as rules or guidelines.

The issue of “shouldn’t people just know” what to do or not to do has come up as we’ve been working on guidelines for blogging at OCLC. Most of us said “yes, but….” The “but” includes new employees who may not know that certain kinds of topics are verboten (particularly if they come from a different field); people who think blogging on a personal blog about work stuff is OK; and people who really do need reining in for whatever reasons.

Once the OCLC guidelines are done (ie, approved) we’d be happy to share.

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