Web 2.0 101: Week 1

Although I got a late start with the Week 1 activities, they didn't really present any difficulties for me (especially after I skimmed through the back-and-forth about problems that arose for others)

Step 1: Create a blog.
As a funny coincidence, just last Thursday I set up a blog and wrote blog entries for a committee on which I serve. It was nice to get such quick reinforcement on how to do it.
Step 2: Set up an RSS reader.
I'm already making pretty frequent use of GoogleReader, for both personal and professional interests. (I had started experimenting with Bloglines and Newsgator last year, but pretty quickly found I used GoogleReader more because I always check my Gmail anyway. Saved me a few log-ins and a few clicks)
Step 3: Subscribe to 5 feeds.
I already have a bunch of feeds (and I'm adding more all the time), but I added a fresh PubMed search since that's something I do less often. The topic, one of my faves: handwashing in hospitals (http://eutils.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/eutils/erss.cgi?rss_guid=079tg2h1oK0Kc4pfix63tcIHRdvogLJy7c_T9-wbFM5)
I also added another journal ToC alert (Arch Int Med). I use this sort of feed less often, too. (Preferring PubMed/MEDLINE alerts instead).

Step 4: Uses for RSS feeds in my library? How could patrons use RSS feeds?
RSS feeds could be very useful in my library. As a library that is preparing to undergo major construction later this year, we could use a Construction Update feed that would ideally keep our users up to date about changes in access and space (which have been and will be numerous and frequent!). On a more regular long-term basis, I could also foresee RSS feeds providing quick library/info tips or highlighting resources. Our monthly newsletter (currently posted on our website, the link distributed via e-mail) would be another logical choice for an RSS feed.

RSS feeds could have tremendous usefulness for our users. Many people in our community are already familiar with this phenomenon (search alerts / table-of-contents services / selective dissemination information), and for them RSS is merely the latest generation, technology-wise. (Of course, RSS has the added stickiness of helping organize both professional and personal information and news updates). Last year I wrote a class trying to cover both RSS feeds and these older, arguably more academic alert services. (Feel free to e-mail me for the handout: jo2203 [at] columbia.edu . I haven't posted it on the web yet, but I'm glad to share it).