Techno Tuesday II: Livin' la Blog Life

Last semester I created a website on Social Justice in children’s literature and librarianship.  I also decided to attach a blog to my website because I wanted to start sharing my programming ideas with my colleagues.

I had been contemplating creating a blog for a while, but it took me some time to find a blog that offered exactly what I was looking for: professional, polished, and intuitive.

I did create a blog in 2009 to document my experience student teaching in England.  For those that are curious enough to read the ramblings of 22-year-old Nicole, the link to that blog will be found at the end of this post.

I considered using Blogspot to create my current blog, but didn’t find a layout or template that I liked.  I also toyed around with Blogger, but was similarly dissatisfied with the templates, layout, or interface.

My pickiness stemmed from a desire to create something that would have a noticeably different look and feel to the one I created nine years ago.

When I created my website on Weebly, I noticed that I could add on a blog.  I love Weebly’s interface -- the drag and drop menu for text, images, video, and spacers, provide the freedom to create a layout and format that I find appealing.  I used a template to set up my blog, and have found that it is simple to manipulate and adjust the layout.  Weebly also has an app, so I am able to work on my blog without having to sit at my computer.  I also love that I can work on blog drafts and save them for later.  

When I first started working at my library, I relied heavily on the blogs of fellow children’s librarians to help me plan and prepare for my programs.  I think that blogs are one of the best ways to share your programming ideas.  During my time as a teacher, my colleagues would often joke about “stealing” someone’s brilliant lesson idea.  The rising popularity of Pinterest, professional blogs, and sites like Teachers Pay Teachers has made this tongue-in-cheek professional theft into something greater: a collaborative community.  We don’t “steal ideas”; we share them!   Regardless of whether a blog is focused on public or school libraries, it is a wonderful medium for sharing ideas, collaborating with colleagues that are thousands of miles away, and building a network of people that you can help you learn and grow.  

I am personally thankful for the wonderful children’s librarians who author blogs like Storytime Katie, Jbrary, and Storytime Underground.   Had I not consulted these resources, my lapsit programming would have fallen flat on its face because I had no experience planning or facilitating a storytime for babies!  These blogs provided me with songs, bounces, books, and outlines that enabled me to walk into my first lapsit program feeling confident that I would be effective for our customers.  

Blogs have impacted me professionally in a positive way.  To me, it may be the best way to grow professionally, stay connected, and provide the best programming and resources to our patrons.


Link to my blog that chronicled my travels as a 22-year-old soon-to-be college graduate studying abroad -  “Across the Universe”: https://ndvega.blogspot.com/2009/
Disclaimer: I do not share my feelings about Twilight.  If you want an awesome love story, read A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas. #TeamRhys​