The Next Step to RSS Feeds

This week I signed up for Bloglines to expand my knowledge and experience with RSS feeds. I like the initial selection of feeds offered in Bloglines, but while perusing through the application I realized I wouldn't use it quite as often as email. I then left Bloglines to do this week's readings. I was particularly interested in Phillip Hollenback's "Bloglines, Flickr, and Del.icio.us make RSS delectable." From this article I realized that Bloglines would be much more attrative if it had the ability to upload images that could be incorporated using Flickr, and even a section for comments or a blog. Is this sounding familiar to anyone yet? I then realized that I do use a social software application on a daily basis that has elements from all three areas that Hollenback was talking about. Facebook - this application has a section for comments (the wall), an RSS feed highlighting friends recent activities on the homepage, and a section to upload photos to share. Therefore, I realized it is much more effective to have one application that combines all of these elements because more people will use the application based on its usefulness.

This idea directly relates to library websites. If library websites were to combine RSS feeds, photo sharing, and blogs, then I believe it would be very user friendly and would fulfill its purpose as a tool of the library. In reference to the case study this week, the Seattle Public Library, I think that the idea of a combination of social software applications should be used. I was somewhat confused and disappointed with the Seattle Public Library's site when I first saw it. I recognized the list as a list of books that must be available through the library catalogue, but I wasn't sure if these were frequently used books, or just books listed at random. Perhaps if SPL were to integrate its RSS feeds with photos of the novels alongside their titles, and even room for comments on the quality of the story, then this page would be clearer to me. Therefore, Seattle Public Library, and all libraries for that matter, should follow Feed2JS guidelines and combine the elements that Hollenback described to create a very useful, interactive, and user friendly library website.

As for the EBSCO and ProQuest alerts, I also find these to be useful in a library setting. I currently use EBSCO's alert system at work to track highlights in the news. This application keeps me up-to-date with my work. I believe this form of social software would be useful on a library's website because it would keep the library users current with library services.