Feed Me!

RSS is a real easy way to get the latest news from sites or blogs. If there are a number of sites that you visit on a regular basis, RSS allows you to collect all the updates in one location through the use of an aggregator such as Bloglines or Google Reader. No longer do you have to visit each site individually to check for changes, the aggregator automates the process.

There is, however, a downside to feed subscriptions. All of the updates still need to be read. I've heard stories of people subscribing to a hundred or more feeds with the feeling that the aggregator will make life easier. To an extent, it does this by consolidating the latest feeds in one location, but they still have to be at least skimmed. And, the more you subscribe to, the longer it takes.

I think the trick is to keep the number of subscriptions to a manageable level (which varies according to each individual). Unless, of course, you're able to spend all day reading!

Back to the Beginning

Here's where my career as librarian-in-training began, in library delivery.
I worked in delivery,and got to visit all twenty (now 21) of our branches.

As part of the experience, working in the mailroom allowed me to memorize many of the names of our staff. Now my biggest chore is to match the name with the face as I do my trainee rotations at the various locations.

Talk About Small!

I really enjoy looking at photos of really small libraries, and here's one that I found on Flickr. It's from some place called Kimbolton, but it doesn't give a state.




I imagine that if you could work here, you'd be everything from library director to reference librarian, and then some!

The link to the Flickr photo is: http://www.flickr.com/photos/21653448@N06/2302895219/

Hard & Easy

Well, not exactly in that order! We'll start with the easiest "Habit" first.

The easiest thing for me to accomplish was accepting responsibility for my own learning. I started the ball rolling when I applied and was accepted into the online MLIS program at Rutgers, two and a half years ago, and then entered the OCL Librarian-in-Training program.

The most difficult of the "Seven & a Half Habits" is play. It's very tough to balance school, work, and family life. There never seems to be enough time to get everything done, and have time left over to have some fun. I guess I'll have to work on this area...when I have time!

Welcome!

Welcome of what's to be the first of many posts as I participate in OCL's 23 Things. Keep your eyes on this space and watch it progress.