Sheffield_Todd_BlogShare1
Blog Post 1
Why use storytelling blogs?
Before reviewing my choice of blog for this assignment, I feel that explaining the reason for why storytellers should utilize blogs about changes in librarianship and storytelling is in order. First and foremost, blogs allow libraries and storytellers to inform patrons and students of new and existing services that they did not previously know about (Palarmuttah, 2022). Blogposts allow individuals and organizations to be known to readers. In addition, routine blogging allows patrons and readers ways to find your previous work and stay tuned with new updates (Palarmuttah, 2022). Those who enjoy your storytelling work can use your blog to find stories they may have missed, or revisit stories and posts they enjoyed. Possibly best of all, blogging is relatively cheap, or even free in my cases, and is fast with modern internet to use with services like WordPress or Blogger as I am doing right now (Palarmuttah, 2022). This Blogger profile costs me no money to run and post, so I definitely advocate for using blogging services as they will not usually interfere with the finite budget most libraries and librarians face. All around, blogposts are an excellent tool for librarians and storytellers.
A cute image from Jenny Arch's blog, which I chose to focus on for this week's assignment.
Jenny Arch's Blog
I decided to focus on Jenny Arch's blog because I consider it a quality example of storytelling blogposting. Arch provides on her About page about her educational background at Amherst College as well as her literary agent work in New York (2023). In addition, Arch mentions her MLIS earned from Simmons College and her previous employment with America's Test Kitchen Library, with an MIT professor, with the Wilmington Memorial Library, and so forth (2023). Ms. Arch is a talented, educated, and well-qualified woman within the library and information science field. I feel it is important to compliment and highlight her credentials because it shows her blog is worthwhile to follow. On a personal note, I have had several classes during my own programs and during previous employment that stressed about the quality of sources. You do not want to use any old source, but a source that you know is competent and qualified. Jenny Arch, from what I have seen, has clearly demonstrated competence and qualification, so her blog is worthwhile to use for educational and academic purposes within our library field.
I read Ms. Arch's latest post from September 21st. Here, she details her exciting return to public librarianship, particularly with children's librarianship. Apart from reading to schoolchildren, Arch has found uses for technology to help read to schoolchildren such as access to Libby's OpenDyslexic Font (2023). Although it was not the main point of this post, I appreciate her hyperlinking to the Libby resource for others to use. In addition, Arch detailed the storytime format she chose with a detailed list of books and activities (2023). This post would serve well for a storyteller who needs inspiration on what content to read, or perhaps how to structure their storytelling. I also noticed that this particular session of storytelling was geared towards primarily towards two and three year olds, so I took notice of the content she read as well as her use of picture books, arts and crafts, and safety tips regarding said arts and crafts (Arch, 2023).
I scrolled down a little further to one of Arch's earlier posts from June 26th because she highlighted success stories in it. Given I have personally struggled with finding content for childrens' storytelling, I felt that reading this post would especially benefit me. I noticed that Arch formatted this post by providing the name of the book, the author(s), how the storytelling went, what techniques or methods she used for telling each book, and how her readers responded to the books and storytelling (2023). I noticed that Arch used a lot of similar techniques we have learned in class to entertain her readers. In particular, I remembered the advice about using emotion, gestures, voice changes, and so on (Venkat, 2020). Arch utilized these techniques and used them, such as repeating certain phrases into mantras, getting students to read aloud with her at certain parts, and so forth (2023). Given my own struggles, this was a very good post that I found to learn from. As an aside, this post mentioned that the reading was for students in the K - 3 (Kindergarten to 3rd grade) range, so that also helps by noting which student ranged enjoyed these storytellings.
An image of the books Ms. Arch used during her September 2023 storytellings. Note the heavy use of picture books and arts and crafts as she detailed in the post.
Blog Layout Comments
Apart from her spectacular content in her posts, I want to commend Ms. Arch for her superb blog layout. At the top of her blog's homepage, I could easily find her content about herself, her experience and education, about her blog, her online presence elsewhere, and her contact information. This allowed me to learn about Ms. Arch easily to where I felt confident showing her blog for this assignment. Apart from that, I also commend Arch's inclusion of a search bar on the right side portion of her blog. If you want to find a particular post or resource on her blog, then these make it easier. I also found the color scheme of her blog a plus. It is not too flashy, and looks professional like an MLIS-earning librarian should use. To liven up her blog, Arch primarily uses images showing off her books and props she uses during her storytelling, which is easier on the eyes and more important for learning purposes than flashy website colors would be. Finally, Arch posts links to similar blogs of her librarian fellows, if you are curious about them and their blogs. All around, Arch's blog has an amazing layout that eases access into her blogposting.
Conclusion
In conclusion, Jenny Arch has provided me an excellent example of storytelling blogging and why it matters for storytellers. Blogging is an inexpensive, often free, method of reaching out to the world at large. Blogposting allows a storyteller to show their work and explain how well it worked. Blogposting enables a storyteller to detail who they are, their past experiences, and their qualifications. The content of posts can be used as advice and recommendations for other storytellers. Storytellers can learn new books and techniques to improve their own storytelling as a result. Arch's blog does that and more, and I appreciate our professor for allowing us to read this blog as part of this assignment. I can only hope I learn to blog as proficiently, so that one day I too can help future storytellers.
References
Arch, J. (2023, September 21). Jenny Arch. https://jenny-arch.com/
Palamuttath, M. (2022, January 15). 7 Reasons Why Blogs are Important in Library and Information Service. MAHESH PALAMUTTATH. https://maheshpalamuttath.info/index.php/2022/01/15/7-reasons-why-blogs-are-important-in-library-and-information-service/#:~:text=Some%20libraries%20use%20their%20blogs
Venkat, S. (May/June 2020). Using Oral Storytelling Techniques in Reading Sessions. Knowledge Quest, 48(5), 54–56.
Week 8 Tall Tales Read
Jackerollo. (n.d.). Paul Bunyan. Storyjumper. https://www.storyjumper.com/book/read/17913218/Paul-Bunyan
Laughead, William B. (n.d.) The Marvelous Exploits of Paul Bunyan: As Told in the in the Camps of the White Pine Lumbermen for Generations. Chicago: The Red River Lumber Company, 1922. Edited by S.E. Schlosser.
Mary Pope Osborne. (2013). Abe Lincoln at Last! Random House Books for Young Readers.
Mary Pope Osborne, & Mccurdy, M. (2015). “Davy Crockett” In American tall tales. Random House Books For Young Readers.
Schlosser, S. E. (2010). Sally Ann Thunder Ann Whirlwind Crockett. American Folkore. https://www.americanfolklore.net/sally-ann-thunder-ann-whirlwind-crockett-bests-mike-fink/SingAnAmericanStory.
(2013, September 28). The Ballad of John Henry. Youtube.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OF-3t8Id6mA
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