Last week we held a blogging workshop as the second event in our You Are Here summer library program. I was really happy to have such a great turnout, and it's been fun meeting so many of our area teens! While a couple had tried it before, most of the teens were experiencing blogging for the first time. We talked about the different types of blogs and the various purposes they fulfill before diving into a basic intro on how to set up an account and use Google's Blogger interface. It was a lot of fun and I hope many creative blogs will be built as a result.
For those of you who weren't able to attend, Sebring Public Library will be hosting a teen blogging contest as part of the summer You Are Here program. Below I have posted the guidelines for participation, as well as a few basic Powerpoint slides to help walk the newbie through starting a Blogger blog. Of course, you are welcome to use any blogging service you choose! I only chose Blogger because it is the one I am most familiar with.
You Are Here Blog Contest
Teens 12-19 are invited to make their own summer blogs to enter in Sebring Public Library's You Are Here blog contest. One winning blog will be chosen on August 13, and the creator will be awarded an Amazon gift card, Top Summer Blog certificate, and will be featured on the library's teen blog, YAccept.
Guidelines for determining the winning blog will include:
- Aesthetic Appeal This means the blog's layout, graphics,and other visual features.If you've used a pale yellow font on a white background, chances are the ensuing eye-strain is going to keep me from following your posts.
- Content We'll be looking at what the actual posts are about. The sky's the limit here, but it would be nice if the blog was at least loosely organized around the You Are Here theme.
- Post Frequency Regular updates are a must. Afterall, it's easy to forget a blog that never has anything new. No specific requirements on how frequently to post, but keep in mind we're on a limited timeframe. We'll start reviewing blogs a week before selecting the winner.
- Creativity This looks at the combined effect of the aesthetic appeal and content. How interesting is the overall blog?
- User Friendly Is the blog well organized, easy to navigate? Can I quickly find that interesting post you wrote three weeks ago that's long since been archived?
To submit your blog email the full URL to andrea at myhlc.org, along with your name, age, school, preferred contact information, and home library. Once your blog has been approved it will be linked to YAccept for others to discover and follow. If your blog is chosen as the You Are Here winner you will be able to pick up your prize at the Sebring Public Library's circulation desk after August 13. All blog contest URLs must be submitted by July 16 in order to be considered for the contest.
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