UThink: Blogs at the University Libraries
April 3rd, 2004Carol links to the incredible blogging project going on at the University of Minnesota Libraries, called UThink. Incredible stuff going on over there. So, any student, faculty member, or staff can have a MovableType blog hosted by the University. Simple as that. Even more impressive is the “About the Service Page”, one section of which I’m quoting here in it’s entirety:
“Libraries believe passionately in intellectual and academic freedom, and our role as advocates for those freedoms. Blogs are an excellent tool whereby students, faculty and staff at the University can let their opinions be heard. Blogs offer a way to rapidly discuss opinions, issues, and ideas, and allow people from across the country, and campus, to connect with each other through these ideas.”
“The Libraries are also excited about the opportunities blogs will provide the students, faculty, and staff of the University to build communities of interest. Blogs are an excellent collaborative work environment tool through which people can write about their research interests, and encourage others in their field to comment on these writings or even create their own blog to share their own thoughts.”
“In addition, blogs are great tool to promote discussion within classes on campus. Through this service, professors and TAs will easily be able to create blogs for specific classes and give the students in those classes access to post articles and opinions. Some classes on campus have already started to use blogs in this fashion. We hope this service will encourage other classes to take the leap!”
“Finally, one of the functions of the Libraries is to retain the history and cultural memory of the institution. Currently, we perform this function through our collections, such as the University Archives. Blogs are another way we can perform this function, and provide researchers of the future with access to the rich content blogs are sure to provide concerning the University.”
“In summary, the Libraries have numerous goals with this project: to promote intellectual freedom, to help build communities of interest on campus, to investigate the connections between blogging and the traditional academic enterprise, and to retain the cultural memory of the institution.”
WOW!!! Also, check out the sixth entry on how students, faculty, and staff can use blogs. Great stuff. Probably the best example out there as to how libraries can lead in the creation and distribution of content to users.