Keeping Track of New Stuff

So you want to join this Library 2.0 scene. But where do you start (besides this lovely blog, of course)? With so many new tools and websites appearing each day, how do you keep track? How do you figure out which ones would be useful for your library or for your work in a library?

Using an RSS Feed Reader/Aggregator to gather information from magazine websites and blogs can be a great first step. There are a variety of different programs and websites that can do this service for you, from software that you download onto your computer to websites that you can visit and organize online (and access anywhere, a major advantage over traditional software in my opinion). Google Reader and Bloglines are two major web versions. Wikipedia has a list of client software here - some can put your feeds into folders in your e-mail in Microsoft Outlook or add other such functionality, but such services usually involve a fee, unlike the web versions.

Newer internet browsers often have tools built in to help you add RSS feeds if they're available on a website - if it isn't obvious, check for guides on your aggregator website or read over this short web tutorial (ignore the references to tendenci and it's pretty universal information).

Now on to the good stuff! Reviews! News! Lots and Lots of information!

Wait. Maybe you don't want quite that much information. Maybe you want information that is useful and already sorted through by someone who really knows what they're talking about.

In that case, I highly recommend Infodoodads for its fun, easy to browse reviews - it's written by a team of six librarians who don't post about every single new thing that comes out. They only cover one item per week per person, an easy amount to bite off if you're just getting started.

Maybe you do want to read everything, though. You can probably find better sources of EVERYTHING than this introductory blog, but here are a few recommendations:

Information Week posts frequent updates and covers lots of gadgets and sites, but has a heavy business focus. Other traditional tech mags, like PC World and PC Magazine and Wired, also offer RSS feeds, sometimes by commentator and subject area.

More bloggers & websites keeping track of Web 2.0 (though not necessarily social software or library uses)
Emily Chang's EHub
FeedMyApp's Web 2.0 Directory
Jane Knight's E-Learning Pick of the Day
Mashable's Social Networking News
Orli Yakuel's Go2Web2
Profy.com
Pulse 2.0

It's very easy to find blogs, just like websites, by searching the Google Blog Search or browsing through blogrolls (lists of outside blogs) on sites you like. Libworm.com is a useful site for searching just library blogs - especially if you're trying to see how anyone else is using a tool or hear what they're saying about it.