Locating a few useful library related blogs

Finding other news feeds was very interesting -- I am tempted to subscribe to lots, but I am still leary of how many sites I can actually subscribe to and keep up with, so for now I did lots of browsing.

Which method of finding feeds did you find easiest to use?

• Definitely the icons, they were quicker. If you are at a site subscribing using the RSS feed icon really made it simple.

Which Search tool was easiest? More confusing?

• Blogline's Search tool: this tool was the easiest to use
• Feedster: this one was Changing, so it was not available to try
• Topix.net: I found it easy to navigate. I used the "All Sites" link to just browse the topics this was a browsable index by topic and I liked that feature.
• Syndic8.com: I found some interesting library sites that I may go back and subscribe too. This one was my least favorite I think because of layout, I can't quite pinpoint why I didn't like it as much.
• Technorati: this site seemed to provide the most information, arranged in a logical manner. Very thorough.

What other tools or ways did you find to locate newsfeeds?

• There are several sites that I check on frequently to see what has been updated. I simply went to these sites and copied the URLs.
• The DDC updates coming to me rather than me searching daily at the beginning of the month to see if the new month has been posted will really be a timesaver!

RSS Feeds and Newsreaders

I had heard of RSS feeds and didn't take the time to find out what they were (too busy being Library 1.o) now that our assignments have us looking at RSS feeds -- I have enjoyed learning about them. The analogy of Netflicks vs a video store or even going to a pizza store vs home delivery are both appropriate here.

Advantages of an RSS reader:

• In the sphere of Ranganathan: Save the time of the Reader...
• RSS certainly saves time. Rather than going to the web sites the sites are brought to you and the readers help to organize what has been read, or even what you want to star and go back to. If you are interested in keeping up with the latest info on your favorite topics this is certainly a way to bring it all to you!

Disadvantages of an RSS reader:

• If you are interested in a lot of topics, or subscribed to a site that has lots of posts I can see where the information coming to you could get unwieldy -- the "Mark as read" feature or "star" for later reading could help control that situation.
• Also, the information comes to you automatically, constantly -- whereas without RSS you would go at your own inclination to whatever sites you had time to review.

I will be trying out the RSS feed over the following weeks to see the advantages and disadvantages -- at this point I am looking forward to news and events coming to me rather than me taking the time to search for them!

How can libraries use RSS or take advantage of this new technology?

• Certainly in the area of reader's advisory. Creating book lists customers could review to find the latest book of their favorite author, or new titles in series would be very helpful information to get in an RSS feed.
• Upcoming events and library programming of interest to various groups. Knowing when the next program on [topic] will be featured at the library is certainly another.

Newsreaders
RSS Feeds
Libraries
Library 2.0