The incomparable Doug Peterson @dougpete posted a
thought-provoking article here on his blog called "Why You Should Read This Blog". He challenged his readers to tackle the same reflection process, and I always like a good challenge. However, mine is titled "Why MIGHT You Read This Blog" because I'm not that good at understanding what exactly draws people to read any of my blogs. (I currently maintain five blogs - this professional one,
one on the video games and board games my family plays, a private one that's a family journal, and two that are run for my school students. I may add to that later with a Minecraft-focused one in collaboration with my fellow GamingEdus.) Sometimes I wonder why anyone would bother reading my thoughts and opinions, when there are so many other blogs out there with wittier and more insightful writers.
When I first began this blog on the Library Network Group, I found out that people liked it best when I talked about Twilight-related things. Who would've thought it? It was supposed to be focused on themes resonant with teacher-librarians, not my Twilight-obsessed ruminations! Now that Blogger makes analyzing your blog so much easier, I've noticed that my Ontario Library Association Super Conference reflections garnered the most hits out of the most recent posts. I know a lot more people read it than the subscription figures indicate. (I think I have 19 followers to this blog; in comparison, my Family Gaming blog has less followers, but more visitors.) So, this is my guess as to why you MIGHT want to read this blog.
- if you like to hear about conferences that you may or may not get to attend
- if you want to hear about successes AND failures from a real teacher-librarian
- if you are curious about me as a person (because you are my friend, or want to be my friend, or like spying on me to gather juicy blackmail material)
- if you like "mainstream" school library topics as well as "unique/unusual" school library topics
This isn't meant as self-promoting at all; regular readers of this blog will know I have moments of self-doubt and that I'm just as likely to reprimand myself as I am to praise - but I think that sharing both sorts of incidents makes me human, and we need to realize more often than we do that there are real human beings behind the words we read on our screens. Why do you read this blog anyway?
Thank you for taking the bait, Diana! I'm smiling as I read your list of things. It's interesting, I think, as to why we think that people read our blogs. You didn't hit my reasons for visiting though.
ReplyDelete1) You're from Ontario! Your ideas and thoughts translate directly into possible action by other Ontario educators.
2) You're a blogging librarian. I think it's sad, but you're in a minority. While there are many who complain about the lack of respect that libraries are getting, you're demonstrating and sharing the good. I'd be scared to cut back your resources if I think about the value that you add to your school.
3) You write very well. Quick and to good points. A hallmark of a great blog post.
4) While we may meet once a year, when we catch up, it's like a long lost friend. I appreciate your insights and your blogs let me enjoy them more frequently.
Your last sentence sums up what I think a number of people would feel. It's hard to come up with reasons why someone would want to read your blog. I think you're a little too humble though; you're a great read.