RSS and The Library

To be truthful...I've never used an RSS feed.  I've set them up, but I never tweaked them or really used my RSS feeds for anything.  I don't visit my Google Reader, where my RSS feeds, at all.  My husband, on the other hand, loves his RSS feeds.  He uses his RSS feed for news, but also for keeping up with the many web comics he reads on a regular basis.  Each comic has its own schedule and sometimes an author/illustrator just uploads new comics whenever they can.  Instead of my husband visiting each and every web comic website every morning, knowing that not all of them will be updated or know if it WILL have an update, he uses his RSS feed which captures any new comic that has been released or uploaded.  In this scenario, the comics come to him, rather than him going out to each of the comics.  When he explained this to me, I just nodded and smiled.  I like going to each website, granted I don't read nearly as many as he does, but I like getting the feel for each comic since their website design and layout reflects the style of the artist and the author.  In most cases the author updates his blog at the same time and will write about the inspiration for the artwork or storyline or what is going on his/her life at the time.  You don't get that in an RSS feed.  I mean, you CAN, but it would be disjointed and not part of the whole experience.  I'm really big on the experience of things, not just the content.  For example, my chief complaint, well my only complaint, about my nook is that I only get a choice of 3 different fonts.  Having worked in the publishing industry for the last 5 years, I know that even trade books (novels, non-academic books) have designers who work on designing the interior of each book.  The right font, the correct trim-size, the margin measurements, even the little flourishes all add to the book reading experience.  In any case, enough of my misunderstanding and current slight dislike for RSS feeds...

And onto why RSS feeds could be wonderful for the library.  Reading through the articles for this week, it's plainly clear the benefits of setting up RSS feeds as a public library or academic library (or special library, really any library at this point).  Like with my husband and his web comic RSS feeds, the comics come to him.  In a sense, a library's RSS feed about library events or new arrivals or new and exciting research going on about [topic] can all get sent directly to the patron or user.  I really like the idea of having an RSS feed available for users to start on titles within the library catalog.  That way the user can see when books are back on the shelves.  Not all users are going to be RSS-savvy, this is understandable and expected when it comes to new technology and services.  There are plenty of tutorials out there about RSS feeds.  If the library has the resources and/or time, the librarians could make a small video (YouTube-style) and post it to their website to explain to their users what an RSS is and how it can work for them.  Even in the actual branch of the library, an RSS icon and small tagline could be printed on flyers and pamphlets about the library and its events.  There could even be little RSS icons and little tips on the shelves saying something like... "Can't find the book/CD/DVD/resource you're looking for?  Sign up for our catalog RSS and find out the minute it becomes available!"  This will integrate the physical library with the online library and integrate the user into all of it, too.

Of course, all this feeding keeps the user away from the main library website.  This, however, doesn't necessarily make the library's website obsolete, but actually enhances the site and makes it more relevant.  Users who find something that lands in their RSS feed might want to learn more and immediately click on the link and go right to the library website to learn more about a certain topic.  Having the service of bringing information and providing information to the patron/user in the most convenient and quickest way possible is really what a library is all about.  Those, like me, who want the experience of the library will still surely visit the library's website and the actual library branch.  Those, like my husband, will enjoy the convenience of knowing what is happening at the library and having that information at his fingertips.