Yet more questions about libraries and blogging

I'm writing this after having just viewed the press coverage of the TeenZone's latest event. If you have a chance, check out the video footage of local teens hashing it out Guitar Hero style. And, while I know this isn't technically related to our topic of blogging, I mention it because what I saw raised a few more questions about our desired presence on the Internet.

So, below are my questions and some possible answers. (Sorry for the overlap Cheryl...great minds think alike!)

Basic Structure:
What format and structure will the blog take on? Also, will there be one central library blog or multiple blogs for multiple departments? In which case, a central design theme could recur but each blog would have its own flair.

Based on the examples of a number of other library blogs, there is a simplicity in having one central blog page from which users can access entries from a variety of posters (who could be individuals or departmental reps).

Conversely, having a unique style would be best for departments like TeenZone who's target audience will be looking for something different.

Length of posts? There should be some consistency and its probably best to err on the side of short (for instance, I think my post here is too long...and if it weren't for a committee I probably would have stopped reading!) Probably a paragraph or two is best, maybe certain posters could use more space.

Who will Blog and how often will updates be made?:
It was pretty much decided in the meeting that we are against centralized blogging...that is, more people should/could have the opportunity to blog. However, there should be an administrator (or multiple, maybe by department) that schedules entries and makes sure format stays the same. This will take the pressure off of one single individual as well as allow all interested parties to participate.

Another idea is to have people develop a blogging identity and then make an entry once a week. For instance in TeenZone, maybe one person could write about our recent successful events, almost like a newscast, then another person could discuss new books, and maybe another person could write about current/local events.

As we mentioned in the meeting, we need to develop a blogging schedule and stick to it. This is why multiple bloggers would be a good thing...that way we can still take vacations! So, as long as entries were made daily or every other day, the blog would remain relevant.

What about Video/Pictures?:
The Guitar Hero link above shows that newspapers are not asking for parental permission before posting footage and names of minors. At this point, we post pictures from events but don't use
names...will this become an issue on our blog?

I'm not sure of the legal answer to this question and I think that the greater concern would come from MySpace or Facebook accounts, however we should probably have a firm answer before we post any photos.

Allowing comments:
Should we allow users to comment on stories or create a running discussion?

Yes, given that the objective is to reach out to a new audience, I think this tool will be essential. Plus, allowing comments opens up possibilities like online book clubs and more.

Of all the policies I saw, my favorite allowed instantaneous posting privileges to registered users only. All other posts are reviewed by an administrator prior to posting. This won't remove all threat of 'language' or content issues, but I think it will make things more manageable.

Advertising and linking to the Blog:
Will we feature the blog prominently on the home page? Try to get linked from other library sites? How about allowing links within our blog?

If our goal is to reach new users in the virtual world, then we need to get our name out there. However, I would be in favor of a careful promotion scheme as we need to focus on our local patron base first. Perhaps at a later date we can expand and gain a wider recognition, but for the time being I don't think we can justify spending time and resources serving people who are not our taxpayers.

Will we host on our own server?:
This is entirely a Systems question. There is the advantage of removing the name of the blogging software from our address, but I don't think that is a big enough deal to warrant a greater expense or hassle. But, if it is doable, I would say hosting on-site is the best option.

Will we have to justify the time spent and the results?
Given that there are some people out there who would prefer for us to do no more than offer books, will developing an online presence be something that we will need to continually justify? If so, is a simple number count enough, or will we need to see greater attendance to programs and a higher circulation count? How will we track this and who will do it?