Here’s yet another article that does a nice job of discussing the relationship between libraries and blogs: Blogging and the U of M Libraries.

Shane Nackerud argues for blog hosting as a service of the University of Minnesota Libraries:

“As a library, we are already discussing ways that we can change the scholarly publishing paradigm, ways that we can create communities of interest, and ways that we can create a digital repository of scholarly output. Hosting blogs would give us an opportunity to investigate how this new medium can help us accomplish, or touch upon, all three of these goals.”

“Hosting blogs would also make the University Libraries the center point for intellectual discussion on campus…Thousands of people would come to our site every day not just to look up a book, or find a full text article, but also to discuss important topics, read what other people are currently discussing, and possibly post their own opinions…Most importantly, hosting blogs would leverage the libraries’ traditional role as a defender of intellectual freedom, and indirectly help our faculty, staff, and students participate in our democratic society.”

Good points that deserve serious consideration by all academic libraries.

Courtesy of rawbrick.net.