U. of Michigan Offers Free Blogs for Students, Employees

-- Library Journal, 3/1/2006

Recognizing the popularity—and potential—of blogs, the University of Michigan has launched mBlog, a program offering free blogs to UM students and employees. The program is a collaboration of the University Library, Information Technology Central Services (ITCS), and the university's Bentley Historical Library. Library officials said the project had been incubating for about a year and is the result of both student and faculty requests to use blogs and the library's interest in "exploring new modes" of publishing. "The Library is providing a platform for interactive publishing and discourse," Susan Hollar, the curriculum integration coordinator for the UM Library, said. To launch the program, the library purchased "off-the-shelf software," which was then modified by ITCS to fit UM's system.

The software license covers all current faculty, staff, and students. Blog content is subject to the university's "Proper Use Policy and Guidelines for Responsible Use" provision as well as U.S. Copyright Law. Librarians added that the program will also provide a historical narrative of both the university and life in the 21st century, and bloggers can choose to have their work considered for archiving by the library. For those who wish to be archived, the archives staff will "appraise the content and choose blogs with the greatest potential for historical value."