1. What is a blog?
A weblog is just a tool for organizing information. Think of a weblog the same way you think about a physical book or magazine—-it is just a tool, so it can be about any topic.

2. What do blogs look like?
Well, you’re reading one right now. Many follow the same format. There’s a title at the top and a sidebar for archives and links. Most importantly, there’s a column of posts—-brief entries arranged with the newest stuff on top, often peppered with links to other websites.

3. How many blogs are out there?
Weblogs first started popping up on the internet in 1998. As easy-to-use self-publishing tools were developed, the phenomenon grew exponentially. Technorati currently tracks 30 million registered weblogs, a figure that doubles every 5-and-a-half months.

4.Who writes these blogs?
Corportations, news hounds, libraries and librarians, politicians and talking heads, rock stars, tech folks and everyday people…basically, anyone who has something to say and, increasingly, many people who don’t.

5. How do I start?
Sign up for my Tech Talk–Weblogs: Fresh Content, Fresh Context. There are two sessions scheduled, Wednesday, March 29th or Monday, April 10th. Come out, discover a bit of history, see creative examples of how people are using weblogs, then learn how to set up one of your own in the hands-on portion of our workshop.

Author James Kelly