In addition to some staff blogs, I subscribed to several news feeds, and the Unshelved and Get Fuzzy comic strips. I also subscribed to some book review feeds and a few library-related feeds.
RSS is a very good way to update library patrons on programs and materials that are of interest to them. In a previous library job, I ordered all of the videos and dvds for the adult collection and had many patrons who wanted to be notified when I was ordering certain items like BBC shows or foreign films. I had to use a variety of methods to keep them informed of new and upcoming arrivals. Automatically putting someone on hold for certain items, posting lists, making phone calls, and sending e-mails all worked to some degree, but were time-consuming for me and did not always ensure that a patron got just those items that he/she was interested in viewing. RSS would have been a useful tool for notifying patrons not only about dvds that were on order, but also would have allowed the inclusion of information about related books, programs, or databases. Since it can be tailored to an individual's interests, it is a way of using technology to add a personal touch to the information being delivered.
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