RSS Feeds

I have been using Bloglines for the past several months. Prior to using bloglines, I would save sites to my favorites, email links to myself.... I was always forgetting to go to certain sites. By using the RSS aggregator (Bloglines) I am able to do more 'one stop shopping.' I started by subscribing to several news, entertainment, and professional feeds. I even subscribe to a pop-culture feed. One of my favorite sites to check is Wired News. In addition to using Bloglines, I also use gmail's customizable web page (even better since I use their email service). I find this service useful for checking daily info (e.g. weather, email, stock ticker). I have since stumbled on new feeds. It is so easy to add to my list. I would never manage keeping up with all this information otherwise.

I recently read an article in Computers in Libraries (vol. 26, no. 9; Oct. 2006) that described the process used by librarians at the College of New Jersey for providing RSS feeds of new books into the course management system for the school. These librarians used RSS feeds to show recent subject specific book acquisitions. The feeds were linked directly with the library's catalog (Voyager). While RCPL won't be dealing with course management software as an academic library would, our users could easily stay connected with new library arrivals, etc... Rather than having to check the library's website and click through at least once to receive information on new arrivals, wouldn't it be wonderful if we could provide this information to be sent directly to their homepage (or an aggregator)? Providing information on happenings at RCPL could be so easily transmitted.

Benefits of Blogs

As I close out my first day of work as a new librarian with 1431@RCPL, I am excited about the possibilities of blogs both personally and professionally. I have been using blogs to stay up to date on personal interests from baking to professional happenings to music and movies. I have friends that love to use these newer technologies for vehement political rants. The interactive nature of blogs allows for both the creator and the user to benefit from each other's unique ideas, perspectives and expiences. There are so many possibilities: publicity for new arrivals, book discussions, movie & music reviews, featuring healpful websites, highlighting past and upcoming programs and services, ... The library could use blogging as a vehicle for learning more about our community of users; the ease of creation of blogs would allow the library to quickly communicate new services and resources offered to our patrons.