Blast from the past

Debbie Abilock's Knowledge Quest column "Blogsense, Not Blogvangelism" that I referred to last February in my posting, "Blogs, Blogs, We Don't Need No Stinking Blogs," is now available online!

Hmmmm, the print version of KQ is available long before the online version? Still seems like there is something wrong with this picture to me. Is AASL pandering to us old, paper-trained members or working to engage our younger, up-and-coming members? AASL (and ISTE and every other professional organization), where is your future? It's not with us geezers, I'm afraid. 

As Debbie remarks in her e-mail to me, "I calculate that means you’ve got 2-month clout." If (and it's a big if) I indeed have clout, it may not just be because of the timeliness of blogging, but audience demographics as well. I'd predict blog readership skews younger.

I love the thought of getting to young and impressionable minds before the professional establishment does! (Insert sinister laugh here.)

Speaking of reaching younger readers, I found out recently that both my mother and father-in-law are Blue Skunk readers. Don't quite what to make of this other than that I will be watching my language more carefully. 

Comments

[Sara Kelly Johns]

Actually, the reason it takes so long for the web version of KQ to go up is not by philosophy of the KQ Board or Debbie as editor or any other reason than staff time at the AASL office. There is a lot of coding involved with mounting the stories and Kathy Agarwal, the person who does it, is way too busy due to other staff positions not filled yet as well as her own other duties.

The frustration is a discussion at every meeting of the KQ Board and has been a topic of MANY e-mails. We now have a new KQWeb editor, Gayle Bogel, who is enthusiastic and ready to make changes to try to close that gap. Geezer-ism (those who prefer print) is not a factor that we have been able to make headway with--yet.

So, influence while you can...hopefully KQ will soon have simultaneous print/web versions with even more great extra content for the web. I have some plans from my end that involve regular contributions in web-only columns from AASL divisions. Maybe you'll write for SPVS?

Sara iu her role as Associate Editor for AASL Community, Knowledge Quest

[Frances Jacobson Harris]

Sara (and Debbie) -

Any chance KQ Online will ever have an RSS feed? I don't know if it's geezer-ism or laziness on my part, but I tend not to check and recheck sites for updates now that I use an aggregator. I mean, how 20th Century would that be? I suspect that setting up an RSS feed is dependent on IT folks at ALA. I understand it's not so easy with their content management system, but other large organizations seem to be able to manage it. Once in place, AASL wouldn't have to touch it.

[Sara Kelly Johns]

Oh, yes...it is very possible and on our wish list, too! Lots of steps to take, but...well worth it. Thanks for bringing it up, Sara

[Deborah Stafford]

BUT, I would much rather get the print FIRST. I can leaf through the issue while having dinner, or at bed time etc. I can dog ear an article that I want to share.

I simply won't remember to go online and SEE if an article I want is there once a month.

[Doug Johnson]

Hi Debbie,

So would I, but neither of us are Net Genners!

Doug

[Laura]

Actually, there is a way around the RSS feed from the KQWeb page. There is an AASL blog in the works, and that will have an RSS feed - so we'll be able to announce changes to the KQWeb section as they occur, as well as encouraging conversation about the articles/issue, and pointing people to posts not necessarily from within the library world that might be of interest to KQ readers.

[Doug Johnson]

In the meantime, a person could try FeedWhip http://www.feedwhip.com/ that uses e-mail notifications of webpage changes. I've not tried this, but it looks promising.

Doug