Negotiating Self-presentation, Identity, Ethics, Readership and Privacy in the LIS Blogosphere: A Review of the Literature

Abstract

This paper is a review of the literature around the library and information science (LIS) blogosphere, focusing on academic librarian bloggers who maintain their own blog outside of their library workplace. The differences between library and librarian blogs are defined, followed by a brief snapshot of the history, evolution and current landscape of the LIS blogosphere. The review aims to understand what challenges these librarian bloggers face in contentious areas of their blogging practice. Key challenges that emerged were self-presentation and identity, ethical issues, readership and privacy. Through a discussion of these key challenges, issues around anonymity, disclosure, accountability to the profession, the interactivity of blogs and self-censorship come into play. The blurred lines between the personal, public, private and professional in the world of blogs are observed.