Week 4 Part Eight: Bloglines/Blogrolls/RSS

As the title to this blog implies, I found it to be extremely intensive in both content and labor. If one is an older hand in the RSS feeder world (I am older now than I was a week ago), it must seem very simple. Hmmm.

How do I think this might affect library patrons? I think that as patrons advance through our library's computer classes, this might be a really inviting offering for them -- especially if they enjoy blogs.

A. I would like to see the classes structured to library patrons who are learning to use a computer in the format of tutorials, like those in Part Four of 23 Things, accompanied by sitting down with them and guiding them one-on-one, step-by-step through the process of the world of RSS, bloglines, and choosing and creating their feeds . Because the process can be long, frustrating and a pain in the brain if one gets lost along the way, I think for beginners it is better to have a live body helping.

This is my own prejudice since I opted to work through this section solo partly because it seemed so straightforward (which, to someone more tech savvy than I it may be) and partly because when I looked through other FCPL bloggers's posts, no one (except James) was on week four yet. I limped and cursed and struggled.

B. For library patrons whose computer knowledge is more in the adept range the tutorials like those that 23 Things offer would be great guides, accompanied by library staff to help with any questions.

What did I accomplish in this week?

1. I now have a bloglines account with 20 feeds (and two folders). That is sufficient to let me explore and play with how RSS feeders work...later. My feeds are all news-based; I am not a fan of blogs in general, including mine. It took me all of the seven days of week four to barely meet the minimum requirements of getting the framework in place. Entries such as the NY Times bestseller list, the Unshelved cartoon, and the vegetarian recipes are all intuitively obvious in use. I have yet to figure out the advantages of having a list of seemingly (to me) unconnected headlines in my newspages. So my play has been limited. Probably time is an answer to all my puzzlements -- I just don't have anymore right now.

2. I have a public link with my blogline at http://bloglines.com/public/rexstout.

3. I have an RSS button on my blogspot account (note address bar above) -- my only "play" attempt so far.

4. I added the FCPL particpants to my RSS feeder.

5. I added my blog to my feeder.