TPL Test Blog

This version is no longer being updated. The new post is accessible on the TPL Test Blog.

1) New to Blogging

• An explainer video from Common Craft, for library staff new to blogging
• New to Typepad or need a refresher? Here are some helpful tips

2) Online and Social Media Policy and Editorial Guidelines

• The Online and Social Media Policy (PDF) sets out how TPL will use online and social media channels to address service objectives in a manner that is consistent with the Library's mission, vision and service values
• To ensure that TPL leverages the potential of online and social media while managing the inherent risks, the Library's Terms of Use outlines the requirements for participation and content
• The Editorial Guidelines (PDF) apply to all TPL staff who are participating in TPL's online channels. It contains mandatory guidelines as well as recommended best practices that staff should adopt and practice
• The Style Guide (PDF) is a reference for all TPL staff involved with creating written documents and publications, both print and electronic. The goal is to ensure consistency in spelling, grammar and style across the organization in order to foster a professional, polished look to all communications on all channels. 

3) Writing for the Web

• How users read and write for the web from GOV.UK's style guide
• Write better, a checklist from the Center for Plain Language
• An interview with Ginny Redish about universal design, accessibility and plain language
• Strunk and White's enduring classic, The Elements of Style, courtesy Project Gutenberg
• The Hemingway app is a great composition tool, also useful to test and improve your writing. And here's a good read for the ideal length of everything online

HOW-TOs

• Structuring your web content, i.e., put the most important information first
• Crafting great blog post titles, with a handy preview feature
• Writing good link text and the underlying rationale
• Once you've written fabulous link text, beware of opening links in a new window
• Adding 'alt text' to images, a primer from WebAIM

4) Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA)

Good starting points:

• The Ontario government's Integrated Accessibility Standards documentation
• The Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005 section on web accessibility requirements
• A brief summary of the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG 2)
• A practical handbook on accessible graphic design (PDF) from RGD (Registered Graphic Designers Association)

5) Copyright, images and video for blog posts

• Common Craft provides a good video for beginners to learn about copyright and creative commons.

Copyright Free Images

The following are great sources to find images, without the need to ask for permission:

• TPL’s Digital Archive
• City of Toronto’s Archives Database
• Flickr – Toronto’s History
• Creative Commons has their own portal
• Many directories of content in the public domain, e.g. The Public Domain Review
• Tin Eye – For images by colour
• Pexels
• TPL’s Image Bank (Bloggers Folder in the S: Drive)
• …And plenty more that you can find online, including this list of multimedia sources by the University of Victoria (PDF)

Attribution

How should I attribute an image? Below are a few examples:

• For a creative commons licensed image
• For a copyrighted image

Other

• How do I find where an image originated from? Try using Google's reverse image search
• Want to learn more about copyright laws? Michael Geist is the name to follow

6) Google Analytics

• Bloggers receive a monthly report outlining key metrics that reflect the success of their blog(s). These include the top posts for the month, Pageviews, Visits, Average Time on Page, and Users

7) Administrative

The "Bloggers Folder" in the S: Drive contains a number of additional resources, including:

• Staff list of all TPL Bloggers (i.e. names of all Bloggers, Blog Leads and Blog Managers)
• Presentation slides from training
• Shortcut folder to photos by TPL's photographer

8) Promotion

• If you'd like to promote your blog post on TPL's social media channels (Facebook and Twitter), please email: socialmedia@torontopubliclibrary.ca

9) Contact Information

• Questions? Please contact blogs@torontopubliclibrary.ca
• Note: Questions related to the policy and editorial guidelines can be directed to Mabel Ho and Ana-Maria Critchley in CPCE