Time for truth telling--
I feel ashamed.
I cannot believe I had not set up an RSS reader before this week. This time around, I didn't create one because I felt like I should as a future library professional (as was the case with creating a Twitter account). Since I have already admitted my social software inadequacy, I will go a step further and describe how I have been reading blogs up to this point...for a few years now. I have a folder saved under my Internet Explorer favorites titled 'blogs.' Ever week or more, I would go through the folder and click on each link to bring up a blog to check for new content that may or may not have been updated since I last checked. It was a time waster to say the least.
Furthermore, I have no excuse since I knew about the benefits of utilizing RSS feeds. In the first class I took with SLIS, Online Social Networking: Technology and Tools, I learned about the benefits of RSS feeds. I recall this video helping me to understand them, and I even bookmarked it for future use. I recall setting up an RSS reader through Internet Explorer but being dissatisfied with the format of the software or something silly like that. Of course, Google (aka the god of all things social software) has an amazing RSS reader through google.com/reader. In creating my reader, it was simply linked to my existing Google email account. I added each of my blogs (all 33 of them) and created folders to organize them. Here are the folders I created and some individual shout-outs:
- LIBR 246: where all my lovely classmates' blogs are collected for easy reading and commenting
- Photography: the best way to view lovely photos on a single high-res format. For example, Jenny Bedard's photo blog is one that I still follow. She took my husband's and my engagement and wedding photos. I swear she keeps getting better and better.
- Cooking: I love to follow cooking blogs partially for the recipes and tips but mostly for the beautiful photos that accompany them. The Pioneer Woman Cooks is my favorite.
- Fashion: Okay, I think we're following a trend here. Although I'm far from a fashionista, I love following a few fashion blogs because of the crisp and beautiful photos. For the content I love What I Wore, and for photos I love Sea of Shoes.
- General: I also follow friends' blogs for general merriment, such as my friend Russell's adventure blog (think Jack Kerouac) and, of course, Postsecret. Sunday=postsecret day for me.
Suffice it to say, I'm basically crazy about RSS now. I told my husband that I'll be setting one up for him, and he's all for it. I also love how libraries are starting to utilize RSS in their catalogues and not just in blogs. Being able to receive updated catalog info about books being added on a particular subject is awesome and frankly pretty mind blowing to me. As I learn more and more about what libraries can do to interact with patrons on the web, the more I'm itching to get inside of one and start making things like blogs, catalogue RSS, and social network connections happen.
Thank you google reader for making my life simpler :)
Check out http://www.theydrawandcook.com/. Recipes & artist renditions.
ReplyDeleteI understand how you feel. I often take the same routes when I walk places in the city, even though other routes are available and may even be shorter or easier. It's not that I'm scared of going a new way, it's just that I'm so accustomed to the routine of doing things the old way. That's how I felt before I switched over to Google Reader. It's something to consider with library patrons as well. Some may not take to new technologies simply because the old way is still available and that's easier to do than learning a "new" way of doing something.
Patricia
No WONDER you would stop checking blogs if they didn't post more than once a week! I was thinking, "wow, she is really on top of her RSS feeds!"
ReplyDeleteI didn't know about RSS until a little over a year ago when I got tired of checking blogs individually to pass the time at my temp job as a receptionist. Someone told me about Google Reader and now I'm an RSS junkie.
Isn't it neat? I loved seeing all of the cool ways libraries are using it, too.
Chrissie - glad you like the google reader so much and find it useful.
ReplyDeleteMy wife still has the "blogs" bookmarks folder in addition to the her Google reader. I asked her why she does both and she told me that certain blogs she just prefers to see in their "native" format. She kind of explained in like seeing an animal in the wild as opposed to in a zoo. I kind of see what she's getting at, and really the way we receive our info/time wasters is all a matter of personal preference.
ReplyDeleteI didn't have a feed reader until I started the SLIS program, and admittedly, I still don't use it very often. I find it incredibly intimidating to log in and see several hundred unread items because I feel compelled to read (or at least skim) every single one. I also haven't been a very big blog follower, but I am slowly starting to understand the importance of keeping up with blogs in our field. So maybe I will try harder to adapt to the blog mindset where I don't have to read everything.
ReplyDelete