The big problem with both of these blogs is that they are both hosted on blogspot, a website owned by Google.

To me, one of the defining characteristics of a library is that a library is owned by the public. A library should strive, IMO, to be free from many of the private interests of large corporations (such as Google).

In many instances this is not possible. Blogging is an example of an instance that is not only possible, but easy and cheap-to-free. Get some blogging software, and use the webspace at any of the public libraries that the bloggers work at to host the blogs. Or maybe NJLA will donate some bandwidth. There's many ways to get around Google's domination of internet information.

imagine librarygarden.njla.org
or themwordblog.njstatelib.org

so much better than having all our great ideas hosted (and in one sense, owned) by the private sector.

also, I would like to say sorry to the blog that you listed that isn't hosted on a google server.

kudos

John, that's a very interesting point you bring up (and thanks for the kudos on PGTL -- I appreciate it!), and I have two responses:

1) The blogspot-hosted blogs linked above are not "library blogs" in the sense that they are not affiliated with any one particular library (or in the case of Library Garden, which is collaborative, any particular set of libraries). They are blogs about libraries, which is a different thing entirely.

2) Your suggestion, that libraries interested in blogging should simply "Get some blogging software, and use the webspace at any of the public libraries that the bloggers work at to host the blogs" may not be practical for all librarians or libraries interested in blogging.

Some libraries and librarians may lack the technical expertise to install software on their servers. Additionally, some bloggers might be publishing thoughts and comments not officially endorsed by their places of work, so having their blog(s) hosted at a library's domain would be inappropriate. One more thing to consider is that for libraries testing the blogging waters, it may make more sense to choose a hosting service like blogspot, TypePad.com, or WordPress.com (the latter two of which are not owned by Google).

I hope that as time goes on, more and more libraries will choose to host their own blogs on their own servers, but for now, services like blogspot and the others mentioned above are a good, viable middle ground.

I hope you won't decline to read Library Garden and The M Word simply because they're hosted at blogspot -- you'd really be missing out on some great library blogosphere conversations!

I have been reading library garden for a few weeks now (since before you put it up here)...

That problem you raised, about hosting personal opinion on public webspace, is a good one. i am the webmaster for my children's room, and i wanted to starting blogging about library issues...but i would never DARE post the blog on my library's webspace.

I think, though, that the fact that we are afraid to post on a library server is, in a way, sad. I look at (public) libraries as the ultimate beacon of free speech in America, yet I don't feel I can actually _exercise_ that right of free speech on a publicly owned machine. So i have to either buy my own, or use google. It's a problem we all face and us as librarians (protectors of the first amendment) should be trying to come up with new ways to address the issue.

Maybe some progressive librarian should start a program that allows all the library cardholders of the town to post blog on library webspace, free from content editing. We can then be called beacons of DIGITAL free speech.

Also, I am not an anti-google guy. I generally like google, it just pisses me off that in SOME ways they are beating librarians at our own game.

ps - pardon my spelling mistakes

Thank you Sophie for your kind words about Library Garden -- I have never been called a luminary before and I consider it quite an honor :-) It is so much fun for me to blog with so many wonderful contributors.

The comments by John Patrick have been gnawing at me and I was going to respond, but I think your response sums up the issue quite well. I would like to emphasize that not all libraries can afford to host their own blogs and not all librarians wish to have their blog hosted by their library for a variety of reasons. Free blogging services, whether they be Blogger or another site, allow libraries and librarians to enter the fray of the blogosphere with minimal effort and no cost. What's not to love about that?

I personally think the new round of online freebies being offered as a result of the capital venture flowing due to the excitement over Web 2.0 is a beautiful thing. In fact, I had well over 40 people in attendance at my last Tech Talk at PPL where this was the topic of the night. I have posted about it on my Blogger hosted Tuesday Technology Talks @ PPL blog: http://tuesdaytechtalks.blogspot.com/

I hope you are still planning to make an appearance at PPL in the fall Sophie!

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