A couple of weeks ago, I asked the library director if I could start a blog for the archives because our library page is,well, static.  She told me to put together a couple of ideas so the other department heads could take a look at them and see which one they liked better.  I agreed and being the biased person that I am, I only sent out the link for the mock up on wordpress.  *gasp*  So by default and, perhaps, a bit of subconscious planning, I got what I wanted and have been authorized to use wordpress.  *smile*

The Sister Mary Carmel McGarigle Archives now has a blog.  The purpose of the blog is to inform members of the University and Back Mountain communities about what’s going on in the archives.  It will also be a place where I can discuss upcoming events for the Back Mountain Historical Association, which currently doesn’t have anything more than a photographic presence on the web.  

I realize that I have created more work for myself but I think this is a much needed opportunity to move the Archives into the wonderful world of web 2.0.  Finally, archives are starting to see the value in putting themselves out there and I think, especially in these economic times, it is even more vital that we find ways to make our material much more broadly available while broadcasting our institutional/historical value to the community.  

No longer can we archivists be content with sitting in our dusty little offices waiting for the public to come to us, we must now find ways to go to them.

Now to discuss the value of Twitter to the Archives and to the Library as a whole….