Why should libraries care about RSS?
Last week’s exercise of following eight library blogs via RSS feed really opened my eyes to the benefits of using RSS. I had previously been dismissive of the idea of subscribing the feeds via RSS when I first learned about this tool a few years ago. As Meredith Farkas states, “RSS is a great way to keep current with your favorite blogs, journals, and news sites, consolidating all your online reading in a single place” (Farkas, 2007).
RSS can be extremely useful in libraries and for librarians. Librarians can subscribe to RSS feeds to keep track of blogs and websites for their own interest, or to use as a resource guide for their patrons. RSS can also be enabled in various areas of the library’s website so that patrons can subscribe to RSS feeds on upcoming events, library news, and new titles in the collection. At some libraries, patrons can also subscribe to feeds for a particular search, or for updates on their library account. Additionally, some electronic database vendors are offering the option to subscribe to RSS feeds of searches on the database, including subject searches or a feed of articles from a specific journal.
Seeing as how I’ve only scratched the surface of using RSS with my free and easy Google Reader, it is mind-blowing and certainly overwhelming to learn how many different uses there are for this tool. Librarians who want to keep abreast of current technology tools and trends can certainly benefit from using RSS.
Farkas, M. (2007). Social Software In Libraries. Medford, NJ: Information Today.
“Why should libraries care about RSS? Last week’s exercise of following eight library blogs via RSS feed really opened my eyes to the benefits of using RSS.”
ReplyDeleteThis exercise along with adding 24 classmates’ blogs to my Google Reader has helped me tremendously to at least try to keep up with all the reading for this class. It’s definitely an amazing tool. Maybe the question should be, “Can libraries afford not to care about RSS?”