Miscellaneous

Interview with Bonnie Shucha

By Bill Gratsch

Q. In what capacity does your blawg serve the legal community?

WisBlawg serves as a current awareness and instructional tool for the legal community, particularly in Wisconsin.  I inform my readers about new or improved websites and databases which may improve their search experience; review resources and tools which may save them time or help them communicate more effectively; and share news and developments which may impact them professionally. 

It's my job as a law librarian to be aware of all these things. WisBlawg allows me to share that knowledge with the legal community.

Q: How do you personally keep up with all the technological advancements in research, library management, and the like as Head of Reference at University of Wisconsin?

I rely heavily on RSS feeds for current awareness.  I've subscribed to feeds not only for blogs, but also news sources, databases and search engines, etc.  And when a site doesn't have a feed, I create one of my own with PonyFish.  I also send email listserv messages to my RSS reader so it's one stop shopping for all my current awareness information.

Q: Do you feel more connected to the legal community thanks to your blawg? How so?

Definitely.  I've connected with so many people through WisBlawg - people that I never would have met otherwise.  I've formed a number of new acquaintances with readers who contact me about something I've written or ask me about some new resource.  And through the blog, I've been invited to speak at many meetings where I've met lots of interesting people.  Blogging has allowed me to step outside my own little world and connect with people whose perspectives and experiences differ from my own.

Q: Do you think blawg's are important for lawyers and legal professionals to maintain? In what ways?

I'm not sure that I'd say that maintaining a blawg is "important" because that would seem to imply that it is important for everyone.  While blogging is certainly valuable for some, it is not the right choice for everyone.  Successful bloggers must 1) have a unique perspective to share; 2) write in a open and accessible way; and 3) take the time to post on a regular basis.  If an individual cannot commit to these three, then blogging is probably not for them.

For those that do make the commitment, however, blogging can be a richly rewarding experience.  The reward lies in the connections we make with our readers and with one another.  These can lead to new clients, referrals, speaking invitations, interviews and an overall increase of stature in the profession. 

Q: What's the #1 internet sensation you were surprised caught fire on the web?

Twitter.  I admit that at first I didn't see much potential for a micro-blog like Twitter.  I wondered how answering the question "What are you doing?" could be of any professional use.  But with all the interesting uses I've seen for Twitter, I've come to see the light.  Twitter is yet another tool for making connections, from taking part in a post-conference discussion to sharing interesting websites to scheduling a meet up in a town you'll be visiting.  As a long time blogger, I'm surprised I didn't see it before.

Here are a couple other successful and helpful Law Library Blawgs:

Library Technology Guides

Tame the Web

Full post as published by Blawgs Blog by Bill Gratsch on February 12, 2009 (boomark / email).