October 11, 2007

"Introduction To New Media Communications" Course, DAY 2: Selected links for the Podcast/ Vodcast workshop

[Reference - Course description]

BOOKMARK THIS URL: http://tinyurl.com/pcast123

1) PODCASTING
To produce that Podcast:
Audio (in the appropriate file format)
+ Podcast hosting service
+ RSS feed

To produce that Audio:
Plan >> Script >> Rehearse >> Record >> Edit

Podcast hosting services:

Audio recording/ editing software:


Where to find Creative Commons audio
(for background tracks):


2) VODCASTING
See Vodcast Demo - "Getting to the SMU Executive Media Theatre"

Producing that Vodcast:
Video + Compress video + File hosting service + Blog and/ or RSS feed

How to Vodcast:

Free video hosting services:

Vodcast Demo - "Getting to the SMU Exec Media Theatre"

This is a demonstration video for the Podcast/ Vodcast workshop -- Civil Service College "Introduction to New Media Communications" course, 11 - 12 Oct 2007.


The podcasting workshop (Day 2) would be held at the Singapore Management University, Executive Media Theatre, Administration Building.

The video was recorded with my digital camera (so the video quality isn't that great).

After I went home, I did a minor edit with the video by cutting out the walk down the passage way. I save the original clip as two files and merged them together in Apple iLife '06 iMovie.

Next, I wrote a brief script and recorded the voice over with the Audacity audio editor and recorder (which I'll be showing the participants how to use). Then saved it as a MP3 file.

The MP3 file was imported to the iMovie clip. Cuts on the audio was done in iMovie.

For the background music, I selected "Saturday In May" (a song I composed in May 2006, when I was learning my way around GarageBand). Adjustments was also made to the track volume in iMovie.

Finally, I added the transitions and titles.

Took about 45 minutes (excluding the recording of the video).

Civil Service College: "Introduction To New Media Communications" Course

Extracted from the Civil Service College website (last accessed 10 Oct 2007):
"Introduction To New Media Communications" Course

Synopsis: In 2006, TIME magazine voted “You” - producers and consumers of new media content - as its Person of the Year, and gave YouTube its much-coveted “Invention of the Year”. Yes, the age of new media has arrived, even as it evolves into an intricate social web of community and collaboration.

What opportunities do new media offer to organisations seeking to further their communications objectives and target new audiences and stakeholders in this increasingly networked world? And just how does someone new to this fast-evolving landscape take the first steps to participate in its dynamism?

The Civil Service College is pleased to launch a 2-day course that adopts an interactive and hands-on approach to explore key issues related to using new media as a communications tool. Day 1 provides an overview of Singapore’s new media scene, and features industry practitioners and public service agencies that have implemented new media communications initiatives. Day 2 takes a hands-on approach in helping participants understand the culture of new media through the process of creating content for new media platforms such as blogs, YouTube podcasts, and Wikipedia.


Objective: At the end of the course, participants will be able to:
  • Learn about current culture and trends in new media
  • Understand key issues on use of new media for communication and information sharing
  • Find out how other public sector organisations have implemented new media initiatives to engage stakeholders
  • Create content for new media platforms

Course Outline:

Day One
  • New media culture & trends: Singapore’s new media scene
  • Incorporating new media into your communications plan
  • Case studies:
  • Old Stories, New Media - The Tale of Yesterday.sg
  • Using new media in public communication (NLB)
  • Using new media as an organisational tool for internal communication
  • Measuring New Media Return on Investment

Day Two - The programme for Day 2 consists of hands-on sessions on the internet.
  • Creating your first blog
  • Integrating videos to your blog
  • Creating podcast/ vodcasts
  • An introduction to Wikipedia
  • Closing summary

Trainers/ Facilitators:

Time: 9.00am - 5.30pm
Duration: Full Day
Schedule Remarks: Venue will be at SMU.

Link

September 21, 2007

Additional/ Updated references for "Overview on the "W & H" of Blogging and New Media" - 21 Sept 2007

This is an updated version of the "Overview on the "W & H" of Blogging and New Media" handout:

Singapore Government Agency Blogs
[Missed out the library@Orchard blog, REACH, and "10,000 Reading Fathers" in the original handout]

What is Web 2.0.?
Read this article.

What is Creative Commons?
Watch the video here.

Introduction to SecondLife

September 13, 2007

Talk on "Overview on the "W & H" of Blogging and New Media" - 21 Sept 2007

As published at Civil Service College website:

Programme Category: Public Administration - Communications

Course Title: Talk on "Overview on the "W & H" of Blogging and New Media"

Synopsis: This introductory talk gives us an overview on blogging in the new media landscape. The Internet space has created a global village for spirited and borderless communication, information sharing and learning. The advent of new media has renewed the dynamism of the cybersphere, particularly in the use of blogs.

Join us for this talk and learn how to use blogs and the basics of other new media tools. Understand the impact these new communication channels have created in our social and work environment and also learn where and how to explore their use further. Keep yourself up to date with the latest in communications.

Objective: By the end of the talk, you would be able to:
  • understand the differences between traditional media and new media, with emphasis on blogging
  • gain insights into the latest trends in blogging, the use of other new media tools, the reasons why people express themselves using new media and how blogging can be applied in the context of public communications

Course Outline:
  • Traditional Media vs New Media - impact on the social environment and the public sector
  • What are the new media tools?
  • Blogging
  1. How do blogs differ from traditional websites and other online communications tools?
  2. What is blogging and why do people blog?
  3. Basic blogging etiquette
  4. Latest trends in blogging - how blogs are being used by organisations and individuals

  • Overview of other new media tools:
  1. Podcasting/vodcasting
  2. Online videos
  3. RSS
  4. Wikis
  5. Virtual worlds

Trainers/ Facilitators: Ivan Chew

Schedule Information: 21/09/2007
Time: 2.30pm - 4.30pm
Course Fee: Complimentary
Additional Fee Info: A new initiative by CSC, IPAM to bring new media tools to our public officers.

---------------------------------------
Trainer Details
Ivan Chew has been trained as a professional librarian. Ivan graduated with 1st Class honours from the University of London in Information Systems and Management. Subsequently, he pursued a MSc (Information Studies) from Nanyang Technology University. He is in charge of Adult & Young People's Services in NLB where he manages a team of librarians in delivering services, organizing talks, workshops and outreach programmes to schools, organisations as well as local and overseas community partners. He has been training on Blogging and Podcasting workshops on numerous occasions. Currently he has 6 blogs and 1 podcast. A man of many talents, he can draw, paint as well as play guitar for an amateur band. He also counts blogging, poetry writing and playing piano as his interests. Ivan has also taken a keen interest in Library Services for People with Disabilities.



Source: www.cscollege.gov.sg/page.asp?id=75&course_id=875
Last accessed 12 Sept 2007

August 13, 2007

NEtwork Conference 2007 (National Education), 14th Aug:

Resources for a workshop I'm conducting at the NEtwork Conference 2007 (14th Aug)

Blogging And The New Media Phenomenon
Blogging as an NE tool
Ivan Chew, National Library Board
1.30pm to 3.30pm

In today's highly-connected society, almost every man and his dog own a blog. BUT DO BLOGS AND NEW MEDIA HAVE A PLACE FOR NE? Local blogger, Ivan Chew (better known as the "Rambling Librarian") will give an overview of how various New Media platforms, including blogs, can be used for NE. Participants will get an opportunity to formulate and share ideas on integrating new media tools into NE initiatives, as well as discuss ways to manage the challenges in New Media, in the context of NE.

NExus website - www.nexus.gov.sg

What's the NEtwork Conference?

Did you know that National Education (NE) was launched in schools in 1997 by then-Deputy Prime Minister (DPM) Lee Hsien Loong? Since then, many agencies in the government and non-government sectors have supported the NE effort in Singapore with initiatives of their own.

The first NEtwork Conference was organised in 2003 for about 850 NE practitioners, who gathered to take stock of the progress of NE since its launch, as well as look forward to its future directions. Then-DPM Lee Hsien Loong was the guest-of-honour at the event.
Source:
www.mindef.gov.sg/imindef/mindef_websites/topics/nexus/microsite/netwrk_conf/home.html
Last assessed 13 Aug 2007


What NE is, and isn't
  • The history of National Education
  • Is National Education just government propaganda?
  • Is National Education meant to be alarmist?

===============================
Here's an initial list of NE (National Education) related blogs (courtesy of Kelvin Lim from Nexus):

HISTORY

HISTORY - PERSONAL ACCOUNTS

SCHOOL NE BLOGS

ABOUT SINGAPORE
===============================

IDEAS FOR CONVEYING THE NE MESSAGE (how feasible do you think they will be?)
  • Book recommendations
  • Historical reenactments
  • Films
  • Songs
  • Art
  • Storytelling for NE

What makes bloggers tick?

Selected "I Am Singaporean" Meme

Words

Maps
  • Earth@sg - "Singapore's Geo-Mashup Community" (see the section on Heritage and History)
  • SinGeo.SG

Songwriting as a way to promote NE awareness - see:
songcraft.wordpress.com/2007/08/03/singapore-songwriter

Chinese-language blog by Chung Cheng High School students who are documenting aspects of their school's history for the upcoming exhibition of "Student Life and Activities In Singapore, 1945-1965" - www.19451965.blogspot.com

Oglivy's Executive Blogger’s Guide to Building a Nest of Blogs, Wikis, and RSS - PDF file (hat-tip to PRspeak)

10 tips for a Great Blog - see this earlier post

Starting a new blog (part 1) - A post from 2006, on my personal thinking process in starting a new blog (some aspects are applicable to starting an organisational blog)


YOUTUBE VIDEOS
Talking points:
  1. What sort of reactions would be get from different audiences?
  2. Would we allow similar videos to be made?
  3. Would the "Permission-Granted If You Abide By..." concept be better than a "Permission-Denied By Default" rule?
  4. What are the potential "Can Of Worms" that would be opened up?


Selected tools

July 26, 2007

One good use of a helmet cam

Well the Helmet-cam didn't prevent the accident from happening. But it helped in reviewing the event.


Via Kevin.

July 12, 2007

Links for MOE ExCEL FEST 2007, 13 July 2007

Links for the MOE ExCEL FEST 2007. The resources listed here are highly selective and far from exhaustive. I'm focusing on what I think would be those that are immediately applicable, popular and most practical for a school teacher in Singapore. If you've more to add, you're most welcome to leave a comment.

Services/ Tools


Online Safety


Education-related blogs/ School blogs/ Educators' blogs


Copyright


NLB Blogs


Useful stuff to explore

May 15, 2007

"RSS in Plain English" from The Common Craft Show

Thanks to Library Stuff which pointed me to this video on "RSS in Plain English" by the folks at The Common Craft Show:
There are two types of Internet users, those that use RSS and those that don't. This video is for the people who could save time using RSS, but don't know where to start.

March 03, 2007

RSI interview: Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr George Yeo

Minister George Yeo (who guest-blogs at Beyond.SG and at Ephraim's) explains what led him to try out blogging -- read this interview transcript from the Radio Singapore International webpage:
You’ve recently said that you had to learn new tricks. What were some of these new tricks you had to learn?

Language is different. There is a certain casual informality about blogs, which makes it easy to read and makes it acceptable in the medium. If you’re too stuffy or officious, I think it’s a turnoff...

...If you’re too professional, then people get bored, they feel that it’s not appropriate. Sometimes it’s better for the pictures to be a little grainy, they look informal, more sincere more spontaneous.

There is a voyeur side to everybody; if it’s a picture that’s perfect then it’s intended for me to look at, but if it’s grainy it’s almost as if I’m peering over somebody’s shoulder and overhearing a conversation, which is a different experience.

So these are aspects of communication which I’m understanding a bit better now.

See also: Mr. George Yeo's reflections on his BlogTV.sg interview (Jan '07).

February 13, 2007

Web 2.0. - Digital Ethography

This video explains in 5 minutes, among other things, the context by which "social media" and related technologies (like blogs) exist. Brilliant.


By Assistant Professor of Cultural Anthropology, Michael Wesch, from Kansas State University.

November 12, 2006

Blog learning resource: 10 tips for a great blog

Here's a very nice and concise presentation (PDF) on how to blog well:
10 Ways to a Killer Blog - Getting noticed in the new word-of-mouth network
by Robert and Maryam Scoble, PodTech.net

I also recommend that you read this book for more detailed explanation of the concepts covered in the above presentation:
cover
Publisher: Wiley
ISBN: 047174719X

November 04, 2006

Creating blogs with Blogger.com

[First posted at RamblingLibrarian]
UPDATE - See New Blogger Features (Dec 2006) + updated post (26 May 2008).

Due to repeated requests for the screenshots in creating blogs with Blogger.com, I've gotten over my procrastination and posted them in the blog. Yeah, I should've done it earlier... well, better late than never. The steps and screens are correct as of 1st Nov 2006 (once Blogger.com cuts over to the new Blogger Beta version, the features and interface might have changed).

Click on the images for the larger-sized screen-shots:

Step 1 - Blogger - Login/ Create Blog
Blogger - Login/ Create Blog
This is where you you create a blog, or login to your Blogger account - Blogger.com (additional notes in Flickr.com - click here)

Blogger - Step 1 in Creating An Account
Blogger - Step 1 in Creating An Account
You are required to choose a User Name for your blogger account. Blogger uses Image Verification rather than Email Verification in accepting accounts. The email you enter is for things like "password reminder" rather than for creating an account with Blogger. If your preferred User Name has been taken, you'd be required to enter an alternative. Your User Name does not necessarily have to be your Blog Name or Display Name (i.e. you may wish to choose something totally unrelated to your blog name for additional security).

Blogger - Step 2: Name your blog
Blogger - Step 2: Name your blog
Here, you're required to enter a Title for your blog and the blog URL (these can be changed later; for the URL it will be subject to availability, so it's best to choose wisely at this stage). The Word Verification is a feature for blogger to ensure it's a human being that's creating an account, rather than an automatic program (spambot).

Blogger - Step 3: Choose a template
Blogger - Step 3: Choose a template
Click on any of the design. Tip -- you can always choose a new template, so simply choose anyone to proceed and complete your registration/ blog creation process. My observation is that most "Blogger newbies" spend way too much time at this stage, and adds unnecessary delay in registering the blog.

Blogger - After Step 3
Blogger - After Step 3
You're almost there...

Blogger - Confirmation of new blog
Blogger - Confirmation of new blog
Congratulations! You now have a blog. But you if you try to visit your blog URL, you'll get a 404 Page Not Found message. Don't worry -- you see your blog once you publish at least one post. Which is why blogger will bring you directly to...

Blogger - Create/ Publish Post
Blogger - Create/ Publish Post
This is where you create a new post. It's almost like composing and sending an email. More explanatory notes are at the Flickr.com image - click here)

Technorati Tags: ,

July 22, 2006

Links & References for LAS Blog course, Jul/ Aug 2006 (Part 2)

[This post continues from Part 1. It will be updated up till the 2nd run of the LAS blog course on 4th Aug '06]

Selected introductory readings:
  • Soliciting for ideas on how the Library can reach out to people who find it physically inconvenient to get to the library (via High Browse Online)
  • Ebay will use tagging to help it get organized (via Library Journal Blog - LJ Tech Blog)
  • The Power of Blogs - (Another LJ blog article, with a few related topics in the post. As you read the post, reflect upon the tone and writing style of the post, i.e. similarities/ differences to the print version of Library Journal. Of particular interest is the post's mention about cashless payment in libraries, i.e. did you find that useful? Would something like that be published in the typical print journal?)
  • Portrait of a Blogger: Under 30 and Sociable - WashingtonPost.com article commenting on a survey by the Pew Internet & American Life Project: "More than half of bloggers are younger than 30, and a majority use their blogs as a mode of creative expression, the survey found. Money-making possibilities motivate only 15 percent of bloggers, and most blog on a variety of topics, with 11 percent focusing on politics."
  • Technorati.com screencast - Quicktime Movie on the newly unveiled (Jul 2006) Technorati website. Includes an overview of the features and services.
  • Laptops give hope to homeless (Wired News) - How blogs are used by the homeless to reach out and express themselves (via Blogger Buzz)


Selected Library Associations with blogs:

Singapore Library Blogs (for public access)

Librarianship-related collaborative blogs (initiated in Singapore)

July 19, 2006

Flickr.com Demonstration

This was taken when the participants went for their teabreak:
NLB Academy - LAS Blog Course 19 Jul 06

July 18, 2006

Links & References for LAS Blog course, Jul/ Aug 2006

References for blog course for LAS: "Blogs, Tagging, RSS, Podcasts: Heresay, Hype, and Hogwash?" Jul/ Aug, 2006.

[NOTE: Part 2 continues here]

On blogs and stuff
- 10 points on Blogs & RSS
- Starting a new blog
- Using Bloglines (via Preetam)
- Using Flickr (via Preetam)
- Using Technorati Tags (via Preetam)
- Using PubSub (via Preetam)

Who's Blogging? (just a sample, mind you)
- Cherian George's Air-conditioned Nation
- Cherian George's Singapore: New Media, Politics & the Law
- Lawrence Lessig (Founder & Chairman of Creative Commons)
- Lam Chun See's Good Morning Yesterday (probably Singapore's oldest blogger!)
- Tan Tarn How (policy researcher with IPS)
- Matt Cutts (google employee)
* Librarians (see Liblogarians links in next section)

Selected links to blogs/ sites with feeds
- Audio feeds
- ASK! Blog (NLB's public library services Advisory & Enquiry weblog)
- Authors/ Publishers Blog
- AustralianBlogs + Australian Podcasts + News2.0
- BookBlogs
- Blog Timeline.SG ("A timeline of significant events in the Singapore blogosphere")
- Education
- Internet Archive
- Instructables
- Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD Blog)
- LibrariesInteract ("Blog central for libraries in Australia")
- Liblogarians - Singapore
- Liblogarians - USA
- Liblogarians - UK
- Liblogarians - Australia
- Law Blogs
- Library - HKUL
- Library - NYPL
- Library - NLB
- Library News/ Research
- Singapore Heritage feeds
- Tomorrow.sg
- Yesterday.sg
- Yahoo! Search Blog
(To view all my Bloglines Subscriptions, click here)

EXERCISES:
1) Inserting images for blog posts
Here are sample HTML codes. Copy and paste the codes to your blog post and see how they turn out (remember to replace the "*" portions with "<" and ">" respectively):
*a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/ramblinglibrarian/153598467" title="Photo Sharing"**img src="http://static.flickr.com/55/153598467_8fbb8d369c.jpg" width="375" height="500" alt="Singapore Short Stories"**/a*

*a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/ramblinglibrarian/138240722/" **img src="http://static.flickr.com/53/138240722_375dcffdb4_m.jpg" width="240" height="222" alt="Macro_Orchid 0406"**/a*

*a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/ramblinglibrarian/131272959/"**img src="http://static.flickr.com/50/131272959_a5ab2f3210.jpg" width="375" height="500" alt="Mushroom 190406"**/a*

*a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/ramblinglibrarian/131915800/"**img src="http://static.flickr.com/56/131915800_be07f06f81.jpg" width="500" height="374" alt="Oven Fresh Cookies - Macro"**/a*

*a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/ramblinglibrarian/138240721/"**img src="http://static.flickr.com/52/138240721_eaaf32f7ba.jpg" width="355" height="500" alt="Macro_Gloxinia"**/a*

2) Group Activity - writing blog posts
- Try writing a blog post individually.
- Next try working together in groups of 2 or 3
- Consider a theme/ topic

Course for Library Association of Singapore: An introduction to Blogs and related technologies, and its applications in Libraries

As posted at the Library Association of Singapore calendar page:
Title:
Blogs, Tagging, RSS, Podcasts: Heresay, Hype, and Hogwash?
An introduction to Blogs and related technologies, and its applications in libraries


Conducted by : Mr Ivan Chew
Ivan holds a BSc (Econs) & a MSc. (Information Studies). His current job is to develop and manage the Adults & Young People's (AYP) services, working with a team of AYP librarians to look into collection, programmes and services in the public libraries. At last count, he has five blogs.

Date/Time:
19 Jul 06, 2pm - 5pm (update: Additional run scheduled for 4 Aug 06)

Venue:
NLB Academy
Carnegie Room
Toa Payoh Community Library
Level 3, 6 Toa Payoh Central
Singapore 319191

Course Fees:
LAS Member: $50.00
Non-LAS Members : $60.00

Class size : 10 (min) - 24 (max)

Closing date : 12 Jul 2006

Outline of course:

1. "Blogs" in the Singapore context
2. Define & understand "blogging" terminologies
3. Examples of blogs in education and libraries
4. How does one create a blog? (Hands-on)
5. Introduction to blog-related resources for content creation and searching (RSS, flickr.com, podcasting, tagging/ folksonomy/ technorati.com, blog search engines etc)
6. Discussion of possible applications, legal and ethical issues in the context of libraries

You will have a hands-on experience on blogging.

How you will benefit

After attending the course, the participants will:
- have an overview of blogging
- understand more about RSS, podcasting
- learn how to use these new technologies to better serve your library users

Target Audience

All information services professionals with backgrounds in libraries


Source: las.org.sg/calendar.htm#BLOGS (last accessed 18 Jul 06)

July 17, 2006

MICA Innovation Fiesta 2006 - Basics of Podcasting Workshop

UPDATE - 18 Jul 06. Here's a podcast from one of the participant from the course: Mr. Philip Lim shares a story on a Customer Service encounter:

powered by ODEO

Links featured in the course:
1) Definition of Podcasting
- Ask A Ninja: Special Delivery 1 "What is Podcasting?"
- Definition from Wikipedia
- Definition from EatFeed.com
- TODAYonline ("What's all the podding fuss about?")

2) Selected podcasts
- Mr. Brown Show
- EatFeed.com
- BBC Radio (Step by Step guide to getting a podcast)
- Daily Breakfast with Fr. Roderick
- Health Promotion Board, Singapore
- Penguin Podcast
- Kevin Lim (on Flu wiki)

3) Other sites & links
- Planning your podcast recording session (Apple iLife GarageBand tutorial)
- Audacity (Open source audio-recording/ editing software)
- Studio.odeo.com (free podcasting hosting)
- Archive.Org (hosting of audio files, but no dedicated feed for the file)
- RamblingLibrarian podcast

**************************
[Original post]
I've been roped in to plan and conduct a podcasting workshop for the MICA Innovation Fiesta 2006.

See, Do, Hear: Knowing the Basics of PodCasting
18 July 2006
2.30pm – 5.00pm
Possibility Room, Level 5
National Library Board
100 Victoria Street
Singapore 188064

Listen to the spoken Introduction:

powered by ODEO

The Script:

Hello.
Welcome to the MICA Innovation Fiesta 2006 workshop titled "See, Do, Hear: Knowing the Basics of Podcasting".

You are now listening to a podcast. What better way to start a podcasting workshop by using a podcast, right?

My name is Ivan Chew. I'm with the National Library Board Singapore (NLB). In my 10 years with NLB, I've been assigned various roles: I've worked as a librarian at a community library; I've been involved in digital & web-based projects. I've managed a few libraries & was part of a team in upgrading one. Now I work with a team of librarians delivering Adult & Young Peoples' Services across our network of public libraries.

But what makes me qualified to conduct this workshop on podcasting? Well, in my personal capacity I have five blogs and one podcast (feed). I am not an expert on podcasting but rest assured I have enough to share for an introductory workshop. Besides, one point we're making here is that you don't have to be an "expert" to produce a podcast.

By the end of our three hour session, you'll be able to do or understand at least three things: One, explain to others what are podcasts. Two, know how to listen to podcasts. And three, understand how they are produced & the ways in which they can be delivered.

We will also discuss possible applications of podcasts. During the workshop we will be listening to a few selected ones. Basically, you'll see podcasting from both the consumer's and the producer's perspective.

Now here's the fun part -- we have a group activity to produce (or attempt to produce) a podcast episode. It sounds challenging but anyway, this IS the Innovation Fiesta afterall.

So let's innovate. Let's play!




Tag:

July 12, 2006

Intro to Blogs workshop, by Kevin Lim (Feb 06)

Kevin (theory.isthereason.com) posts his workshop content, including links to his presentation slides and PDF handouts. Summary of the outline posted in his blog:
- INTRODUCTION
- EXAMPLES OF SCHOLARLY BLOGS
- THE SOFT-SIDE OF BLOGGING
- THE HARD-SIDE OF BLOGGING
- WHAT IS RSS AND HOW TO SUBSCRIBE TO THEM?
- SIGNING UP WITH BLOGGER.COM
- GETTING STARTED WITH BLOGGING
- RELATED REFERENCES


Read his full post here.

Technorati Tags: Blog Workshop, Blog Course

February 15, 2006

SAOUG Blog Course Practice: "Would South African Librarians embrace blogging?"

Question: Would South African Librarians embrace blogging? What is the level of readiness?

Comments & responses please.