Thing 2 Part 3

I have enjoyed exploring these various methods of keeping up to date. I have previously mused about Twitter and Google reader in my previous posts so I will begin here with Google Alerts.

I set up two alerts to two different topics. I liked the fact that you can choose how often you wanted alerts to be received, but I opted for as and when. I have been receiving alerts to my inbox over the last couple of days. I have noticed that most of the alerts are American and have not been that useful. It seems difficult to actually pinpoint specific information, I think more options need to be available when setting up the alerts. I did think that it was very convenient having the alerts come through on my email, so easy to just click on the link and read the information.

I also signed up for a couple of journals on www.journaltocs.ac.uk and although I haven't received anything from this service yet probably because a new issue of the journals selected haven't been published yet. So I can't really comment on this service as yet.

In my previous post I commented that I liked Google Reader but having used it for a week I find it a bit overwelming. I have to remember to go to the website, which I don't and so when I do remember there are lots of new posts. Thats when I feel a bit swamped in all the information. Other than this I do like Reader.

Of all the methods of keeping up to date looked at here I think I prefer to receive email alerts, I think current awareness has to be aggregated into one place. However I have personally been using Twitter for a number of years and I tend to use it on my smartphone. This is my ultimate favorite, snippets of information sent live and then it is up to me if read further or not. However it's a shame but currently Twitter doesn't work so well in the work environment due to IT restrictions. So for work purposes I would definitely be looking for alerting services that use email.

Twitter

I had a Twitter account prior to the 12things course. I do use my account and enjoy reading the tweets of those that I follow. I mostly use my twitter account  for following others and rarely have anything to post of my own.

Like FaceBook some posts seem unneccessary and pointless, things like "I'm eating my tea" "I'm going here/there" etc.... Sometimes I think people can be obsessive and I think "I don't need to know that". So I am always mindful of this and only post when I feel something genuinely should be shared.

I also have my reservations regarding privacy on social networks. I sometimes think about posting but then stop myself because I feel the post will reveal too much about me the person or where I am.

Thing 2 parts 1&2

I logged into Google reader and added some RSS feeds to follow. This was surprisingly easy I even put my feeds into folders!

In terms of using readers in a library setting, I think they have great potential as a current awareness tool. However they rely on library users following your blog site and in my experience this just doesn't happen. I have set up readers in the past and despite masses of promotion they just don't attract an audience. Most of my library users when asked say they would prefer an email.

In addition to the Google account created for the purposes of 12 Things I also have a personal account so I will definitely be making better use of the feed reader on that account too!!