Thing 8 – RSS

I must admit that I’ve really become addicted to RSS feeds. It’s a great way to have information delivered to your virtual doorstep. If you’re new to RSS feeds I’d suggest taking some time and playing with some of the different readers until you find one that fits your needs. I have a Bloglines account but I must admit I don’t use it. After trying to use it for a bit I realized how it functions just doesn’t match my needs. I’ve tried other readers but my current reader of choice is Google Reader. Take advantage of OMPL files and export and import your feeds into different readers until you your perfect match!

In Thing 8 one of the questions that are asked is: “How can libraries use RSS or take advantage of this new technology?” I think we can all think of ways how RSS feeds can be used in a library but the one that intrigues me the most is using them with your catalog. This is something that the Hennepin County Library is already doing. Here is a blurb for them website:

“RSS feeds alert you to new titles by your favorite authors, or on topics of interest, as soon as they become available at the Library. Using an RSS "news reader", you can monitor several authors or topics on a single web page!”

Can you imagine how great it would be able to do this? If not I guess should explain a bit farther about why this option really appeals to me. I’m a big library user but I rarely every buy books. I know there are place online such as Books In Print where I can get an email alert when my favorite author releases a new title but that doesn’t help me when the library buys an older title. If my local library would provide an RSS option I wouldn’t have to periodically check to see if they have purchased any new titles by my favorite authors. All of that information would be delivered to my virtual doorstep.

What do you think? If your library catalog offered RSS feeds would you use them?