Campus Life : OU 101

Blogging workshop provides steps for beginners

By Liz Bracher, Staff Writer
   
May 25, 2008 | 3 p.m.

When students come to Ohio University, they are informed of the different resources Alden library provides, ranging from the Student Writing Center to the various ways to communicate with a librarian.

Some lesser known, yet just as useful services are the quarterly workshops in an array of subjects. Recently, Chad Boeninger, the Reference and Instruction Technology Coordinator at Alden, held an introduction to blogging workshop called "Get Started with Blogging."

“The purpose of [the workshop] is to show people how to use a blog in their lives, whether it is personally or professionally,” Boeninger said. “I’ll give an introduction to the blogging world and show them the tools to help them get started.”

Boeninger began the workshop with a short video from the Common Craft Web site entitled “Blogs in Plain English.” He then discussed how he got started blogging. “I first used blogs to communicate with my friends and family to let them know what was going in my life,” he said. “Then I started a business blog and finally a library news blog.”

Boeninger went on to show workshop participants how to set up their own blogs at WordPress.com. He demonstrated with his own blog how to customize one’s page to add a personal touch. A short vocabulary lesson in blogging terms and a Q&A session wrapped up the hour-long workshop.

Some participants were motivated to start blogs of their own, including graduate student Cynthia Gadsden. “I’m an Art History TA, and I am really interested in designing a text that would help students connect history with today,” Gadsden said. “I think a blog would be a good way to do that.”