Online Communities

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Success Stories

• The Ann Arbor District Library uses blogs to create a dialogue between the library and its patrons. Click here for more info.

Great Examples of Libraries Creating Online Communities for Their Patrons

Blogs

• Ann Arbor District Library Blogs - The Ann Arbor District Library has a number of blogs on their website. They include:
  • Director's Blog
  • Library News Blog
  • Events Blog
  • Audio Blog
  • Books Blog
  • Video Blog
  • Research Blog
  • AXIS Blog (Teen-oriented services and gaming)
  • Teen Blog
  • Adult's Blog
  • Kids' Blog
  • and more!

Posts are tagged with one or more categories so that each post can be in more than one blog (for example "teens" and "events" or "kids" and "audio".

On all of these blogs, the AADL has chosen to leave comments open, which has led to some interesting online discussions between the library staff and their patrons. Technological changes, the website's redesign, and library construction plans have inspired many comments -- some positive, some negative, but all useful. One item about the library's system to e-mail due date notices on books ended up with 25 comments while a post about gaming tournaments ended up with over 60 comments! This is a great model that could be used in other libraries. Blogs are a fantastic tool for disseminating information to patrons, but it is also a great tool for soliciting useful feedback from patrons if a library is willing to allow and encourage patron comments. This is a great way to develop an online community and a better relationship with your patrons!

Great Examples of Online Communities Among Librarians

General Online Communities

• Blended Librarian
• LISNews.com
• WebJunction

Listservs

• LIBREF-L
• PUBLIB
• Nexgenlib-L
• Web4Lib

Wikis

• Library Success
• LISWiki

Blogs and Websites to Watch

• BlogJunction from the folks at WebJunction

Specific Blog Posts, Articles, and Presentations

• Hill, Chrystie. Everything I Need To Know I Learned Online. Library Journal (Feb 2005).