Sol is a microblog maintained by RDS at Utrecht University Library. Sol openly documents ongoing work at the library, including the development of events and resources, as well as efforts to engender a sense of community. The intention is to work out loud - pull back the curtain on library efforts to make them more accessible and legible, with a goal to increase inclusion and participation.
The audience for this site might be divided into three intertwined entities: ourselves, Utrecht University, and the global public. By openly documenting our work, we strive for a ledger or archive of our year, receipts of efforts to illustrate how we spend our time over a given period. The knowledge that there is a public element to this, should inspire reflection and recognition in this work. How might we explain what goes on here to someone far from this context? What exposition contextualises, what jargon obscures? We enact and respond to an ongoing dialogue with ourselves and across knowledge organisations on the meaning and import of a university library. Somewhere between those two poles sits the researchers, support staff, and students of Utrecht University, who play critical roles in these activities through the library’s direct and persistent engagement.
Content on Sol should be short- to medium-form. Somewhere between a Twitter post and a longer blog article. The intention then is to provide regular, small-scale, followable documentation on our progress. Content is organised through a series of metadata tags yet to be determined collectively by RDS. These tags will allow our audience to come into a narrative at various points and follow breadcrumbs backward and forward to more information.
Some non-definitive examples of content for Sol might include:
- Details on an upcoming event at the library.
- A recapitulation of an event organised or attended by someone from RDS.
- Ongoing documentation of a library initiative.
- Calling attention to an output or resource developed by the library.
Our content centers recognition and should provide clear citation information for teams and individuals developing events or resources. Content should be written for public audiences - avoiding jargon and clearly contextualising specialised knowledge so that we render elements more accessible to diverse levels of prior understanding. Our aim is to provide structured information without mystification so that more people will think along with us.
A recommended cadence for publication to Sol should be a minimum one post per week, once the site has matured to regular operating capacity. Until then, content will be less frequent.
Content for Sol is sent by the author(s) to the web editor to be uploaded to the site. The editor can provide additional support in copyediting or co-developing content, depending on the needs of the author(s). An optimal governance system would see an additional peer review for some site content prior to publication, but this will be determined as the space matures.
Content should be composed in Markdown to ensure clear transposition onto the website. In addition to the content, authors should provide to the editor their:
- Name(s)
- Desired publication date
- Metadata tags
- Executive summary/short introduction/teaser text
Communications Officers will provide additional guidance on content formats and expression to ensure Sol aligns with Utrecht University policies. While Sol is moderated by the RDS department at Utrecht University Library, it should build toward including participation from other departments throughout the library.