Blogs and Blog Readers

Honestly, I had never heard of a feed reader before this assignment.

After reading the suggested article, I feel like I have a better understanding. Like many people, I struggle with keeping up with all the various formats of information available. I have accessed a few blogs over the years, mostly by following links on Facebook or Pinterest. However, I have always felt it was too time consuming to keep up with multiple websites. Enter the RSS, or Really Simple Syndication. This allows users to access all of the websites or blogs that they want to follow in one easy to use location.

After reviewing the various blog readers in the article, I chose to join Feedly. It was quick and easy to join. You have the option to connect via your Google or Facebook account, or you can simply create a separate account. I was easily able to search for content and within minutes I was already following several blogs. The blog feed is neat and easy to read. You can save posts to read later and share with other users. You can even share content on your various social media platforms, such as Twitter and Facebook.

Below are the 5 blogs that I chose to follow. 

Mighty Little Librarian http://www.mightylittlelibrarian.com/
Tiffany Whitehead is a self proclaimed "obsessive reader, social media user, and technology geek." She blogs about various library topics such as lesson ideas, book challenges, and displays. I have followed her on Facebook for awhile, so I was excited to add her to my blog list. 

Mrs. ReaderPants  http://www.readerpants.net/

Leigh Collazo has spent the last four years as a librarian in China. Before that, she was a middle school librarian in Texas. Her blog is full of useful book reviews, lesson ideas, and management tips. She even has a wide variety of podcasts. I've been a fan of hers for awhile, but was surprised at how much information was available on her blog. Her blog is a great starting point for new librarians. 

The Adventures of Librarian Girl http://www.librarygirl.net/
Jennifer LaGarde has served in public education for 20 years. Her blog posts are witty and informative. She looks for ways to infuse technology into lessons, while still serving the literacy needs of her students. She also hosts an online book club that "meets" on Twitter.

The Daring Librarian https://www.thedaringlibrarian.com/
Gwyneth A. Jones covers pretty much everything library related on her fun blog. She discusses Twitter, bitmojis, makerspace ideas, reading lists, and much more. She has been recognized by many groups and organizations for her innovative library practices, including being named one of "15 Librarians to Follow on Instagram" by Scholostic.

The Incredibly True Adventures of a School Librarian  http://www.nikkidrobertson.com/

Nikki recently made the move back into an elementary library after many years at the high school level. In her blog, she shares many of the library procedures and practices that she is trying. She shares lots of videos and pictures, which helps add to her fun and helpful blog. This is a new one to me, but I look forward to reading more of what she has to share.

Besides jumping into the world of blog readers, I also decided to join Tumblr. I've heard a lot about it over the years, but have never explored it myself. This is another new adventure for me, but I am excited to try something new. You can find me at http://vmslibrary.tumblr.com.