Blog Day 2008: Five blogs you should know about

The directions for participating in Blog Day are pretty easy:

1. Find 5 new Blogs that you find interesting
2. Notify the 5 bloggers that you are recommending them as part of BlogDay 2008
3. Write a short description of the Blogs and place a link to the recommended Blogs
4. Post the BlogDay Post (on August 31st)
   

This year, I am focusing on five blogs written by members of the Library Society of the World (LSW). The LSW has been described as (all are quotes from a discussion in Friendfeed):

• ...a way of giving official status to an unofficial gathering of librarians who, of their own initiative, are creating a community where, when, and how they want it. - Jenica Rogers-Urbanek
• using social networking tools to create a needed informal community. - Baldgeekinmd
• A grassroots community of library professionals using internet tools to organize and socialize. - Joshua M. Neff

In the same conversation, I described it as:

...a community of library workers who share information, discuss issues, collaborate on projects, and assist each other with professional development. The LSW has grown virally through online and face-to-face contact because it feels a need untouched by formal organizations.

The LSW has a wiki, web site and blog. The sites are all maintained by volunteers. LSW members have met face-to-face on several occasions, often at library conferences and events. You might even recognize LSW members at a conference by their Library Society of the World badge ribbons. The Society also uses a variety of other social networking tools in order to keep in touch (see wiki for links).

How many people are in the LSW. A lot and from several different countries! The group in LinkedIn has more than 300 members and is continuing to grow.

So here are five blogs by LSW members. Consider this a taste of who is in the the LSW and what the LSW thinks about:

• Connie Crosby (blog) -- Based in Canada, Connie is a consultant & law librarian. She focuses on social networking tools and their use by libraries and other organizations. Connie always seems to be up on what's new and who's doing what.
  
• Digital Reference -- Written by Stephen Francoeur, this blog focuses on "News and views on chat reference, IM reference, email reference, VoIP reference, video reference, SMS reference, phone reference, roving reference, and face-to-face reference."
• The Goblin in the Library -- Joshua M. Neff is referred to as the Sheriff of the LSW and is one of its informal leaders. Joshua, a public librarian, writes about web 2.0 stuff and other things. Joshua is located in Kansas.
  
• (almost) Bald Trainer Blog -- I met Maurice Coleman formally at Computers In Libraries this year. He's a good person to know and very outspoken (in a good way!). Located in Maryland, he focuses on the wide variety of tools that libraries can use.
  
• Joeyanne Libraryanne: Librarianship in the Modern Age -- Written by Jo Alcock, who is a para-professional in the UK and currently studying for her MSc via distance learning. She is very focused on academic libraries and how they can use new technologies to improve services.

There are many more bloggers in the LSW. You can use the member list in the wiki to find them.

Oh...and how to you join the LSW? Add your name to the wiki or join in one of the LSW social networking groups. Yes, it is that easy.

My previous Blog Day posts are here (2006) and here (2007).

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