Thursday, June 10, 2010

Day 10: Personal or professional blogging

Sue asks on her blog

Those of us participating in this challenge are not necessarily blogging on professional topics. Of those that aren’t – do you feel constrained in anyway not to speak out on professional topics? I am not saying that you should professionally blog- just wondering if perceptions of risk to career colour that choice. Of those that do post on professional topics- have you ever felt it threatened your career? And even when it’s posts about topics of general interest to the larger profession?

This blog began when I went to a course run at work.  I wanted to find out about blogging and podcasting since "podcast" was the word of the year and I had no idea what it meant! So this space began as a place for me.  I did occasionally post stuff about librarianship but mostly, this blog is a personal one.  Where I brag about my crafts, kids and cooking.

When I went on maternity leave, my blog became my connection with a bunch of scrapbookers and as such was a kind of sanity saving community for me.  Since I returned to work it has been a struggle for me to maintain the momentum for a variety of reasons.  I no longer have as much time to do crafts. The scrapbooking community has moved more to Facebook. Blogs in general seem to be winding down in favour of micro-blogging.

So to answer Sue's question, no I'm not constrained about posting on professional topics on this blog but it isn't a topic that many of my previous readers would want to hear about continually.  I've since joined a professional blog The Diligent Room, and that is where I post about professional stuff.  Sometimes.  Which brings me to my next point.

I don't feel constrained when I post on Diligent Room.  When I began there I informed my boss that I'd be doing this and asked him to let me know if there was a problem with this.  I don't blog about the sticky stuff - I'm no good at controversial or pot-stirring type posts. 

So far, my posts there have been about what we're doing at MPOW because I figure if I like to hear about other libraries activities then other librarians will like to hear about it too.  I tend to blog about what I know and what I feel I am qualified to speak on.  In fact I struggle with think posts.  I do think about things, but I tend to observe and keep my thoughts to myself.  I think I'm afraid of being shot down.

For me, Twitter has become a place for interaction with other librarians.  For me, Facebook is more about family and friends.  Different tools for different communities.  At least, that is how it has evolved for me.

4 comments:

  1. Interesting question and I enjoyed reading your response. Funnily enough Penny, I am spending less time on Facebook. I don't really feel like I am part of the scrapping community given I hardly scrap. I too have noticed that there is a lack of blogging going on and I guess as you pointed out micro blogging is playing its part in that.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Anonymous5:00 pm

    #blogeverydayinjune has seen a rush of both blogging and micro-blogging (about the blogging) so it's hard to see one being superseded by the other at the moment.

    I think many of us seem to be active in different spaces for different reasons - I am new to Twitter (very new), settled into a rhythm and pattern with Facebook, an active user of Linkedin and currently an active blogger and commenter(and always an active blog reader, I just usually lurk more and say less).

    One of the many things I'm enjoying about this June challenge is watching the development of everyone's posts - whether they are personal or professional and the commenting and cross commenting often then leading off another round of posts on a different topic.

    Great post Penny, my brain is starting to sag from all the food for thought it has been receiving this month :-)

    ReplyDelete
  3. Yep, interesting. I have a professional blog and a scrapbook one. Lately I have been been posting more on my professional blog than scrap one. Our school has an ultranet on which I have both a 'teacher' blog/portfolio and a professional learning blog/portfolio. On the professional one I am expected to post of professional development, reading reflections..... I just can't get into twitter...but face book is a 'go to' space now.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Interesting comments. Personally, I have found Twitter much more interesting and useful than Facebook. Facebook seems so much more personally intrusive. My blog is languishing a bit from lack of time more than anything else but I still read quite a few blogs (although mainly on subjects other than scrapbooking these days). Many of them are far more infomative than the TV news (which admittedly, isn't a high hurdle to jump these days!)

    ReplyDelete