20 Things in 9 Days!!!

Well, as one of the folks who coordinated the development of Sacramento Public Library's 27 Things program, I am aghast to find myself so far behind on my own accomplishment of the 27 Things. I'm only on Thing #8 and there are only nine days left! However, I am not going to miss out on the cool flash drive to which all finishers are entitled. So, prepare yourself for the 20 Things in 9 Days challenge. Just as the Second Annual Library Day in the Life project is kicking off, no less. I'm going to be a busy blogger for the next several days...

Anyway, Thing #8 (that I should have completed, oh, about six weeks ago, is an introduction to RSS. I have to admit that I am already well-acquainted with the joy that is RSS. What better way to keep myself informed on everything going on online that interests me! That said, this exercise suggested that the participant set up a Bloglines account. I didn't. I'm sorry but I love Google Reader. I love iGoogle and I love Google Reader. There I've said it.

Regardless of the feed reader one favors, though, RSS is really a fabulous technology that increases efficiency and carries with it some real opportunities for library service. I am thrilled that Sacramento Public Library now has feeds available to our readers letting them know as soon as titles are added to our catalogs in a wide range of genres and formats. Beyond notifying customers of new releases via RSS, allowing them to get the jump on requesting popular titles, I'd like to see feeds for programming and employment opportunities. What other innovative uses can you think of for RSS in public libraries?