More RSS

I was just kidding when I said on to the next thing.
The next assignment asks us to look at feed searches. At each site I used the same search words and only Google Blog Search came right up with what I was actually looking for. I love how Google seems to read my mind. Topix.net came in second place followed by Technorati and then Syndic8. Aside from h8ing their mashup of letters and numbers, I didn't like Syndic8's look, which was so boring and outdated that I wouldn't trust it to find the latest news. The Feedster link didn't work, so I didn't go there.
I don't know if I will use these searches in "real life," but it's nice to know that they're out there. What helped me most when finding feeds I wanted - like from The Columbian - was to search bloglines for the feed. I looked at The Columbian's website and didn't want to try as hard to find it as they wanted me to.
As far as use of RSS goes, I can see how it would be really beneficial in the workplace as a substitute for mass email and for newslettery-type information. As far as library patron use, I think it would be a neat to have library updates and events information. Honestly, though, I think that other websites hold more possibilities. I get feeds on Facebook and MySpace anytime any of my friends touch their pages; I know if there are new pictures, new comments, new blogposts, and I think that kind of social networking could be more helpful for patron outreach than RSS feeds. Then again, I'm not yet sure how these things are all related nor am I up to the social networking part of the course yet. So...Cheers!