I'm a big fan of the RSS feed. I collect information from a variety of sources and with RSS i can have it all in one one place. (I currently use Google Reader)
But how can libraries use RSS?
I found this interesting blog post from The Moxie Librarian who covered some of the basics (new additions to the catalogue, upcoming events, local interest stories) but then suggested some note worthy ideas. What about having an RSS of library media releases? Or library closings? Or job openings? Hold notifications?
The Library of Congress in the US has an extensive RSS page. I was surprised at some of the topics on offer. They have the sections about news and events, but there are also feeds for librarians and teachers, digital preservation, poetry, copyright news and the latest additions to the Library's gift shop.
I guess the lesson is to not limit to your thinking and to talk to the different departments. Each department knows what their customers are asking for on a regular basis.
Public Library RSS Brainstorm:
Here are a few ideas that came to me after reading through some of the RSS information
1. Teacher feed- new books related to the curriculum, author talks, summer reading programs
2. HSC feed- new additions, local talks, pod casts, study tips
3. Parent feed(s)- information about new books, events, and news just for parents. These could be tailored for particular age groups
4. Book group feed- what's happening with the Library's book groups, books they are reading, groups that have openings, reviews from book group participants
5. Staff pics- books selected by the staff with links to the catalogue
-AB
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