Massachusetts School Library Association
Member Portal:
​Join/Renew/Directory
​
  • Home
    • Spotlight Archive
    • MSLA Constitution
    • About Us
  • Membership
  • Conference
  • Resources
  • Advocacy
  • Awards
    • Judi Paradis Memorial Grant
    • MSLA Awards Archive: History of Awards >
      • 2023 Awards Pictures
      • 2019 Awards Pictures
      • 2018 Awards Pictures
      • 2017 Awards Pictures
      • 2016 Awards Pictures
      • 2015 Awards Pictures
  • Bookmark Contest

Tech Column: Tidying Up Your Digital Reading Piles

2/12/2019

1 Comment

 
Margaret Kane Schoen is a Library Teacher at Newton South High School.

If you’re like me, you have an ongoing “to be read” problem. The magazines that just keep coming to the house, stacked on an end table because I’m totally going to look at that article my mom mentioned; the books piled up on my nightstand waiting for me at bed-time; today’s newspaper guilting me from its spot in the front hall (where it replaced the one from yesterday that just went into the recycling.)

And for most of us, the problem isn’t just physical. We’ve all got digital TBR piles as well: that blog that always has useful tips and tricks, the digital version of today’s paper, the article your colleague sent over that’s waiting in one of a hundred browser tabs.  And that’s not to mention all the places you marked down once as an awesome resource and promptly forgot about.
​

For the online pile at least, I may have a solution: RSS readers, an old-school application in the online world, but for me, a life-saver. These apps gather updates from all over and store them in one place - news articles, blog posts, etc. Then they’re ready and waiting for you whenever you have a minute, just like that pile of magazines sitting on the coffee table.
Picture

​The RSS acronym has had a few definitions, but one of the most common is really simple syndication. Just about every site out there has an RSS feed somewhere on its page, usually identified by this symbol: a dot with two radiating arcs.

​

The RSS standard allows publishers to release updates to applications and readers in a standard and consistent format. The user uploads links to the RSS feed into the RSS reader and the app will scan regularly, download updates, and hold them until you’re ready.
​
That last step - holding for later - is the most useful part for me. I can log into my reader and look at a site I haven’t checked for weeks, and all the content is sitting there waiting for me, even if it’s already cycled off the front page of the actual site. I find this especially useful for sites that I know have good stuff, but I’m not going to be checking every day. It’s also a helpful way to remind myself of what’s out there.

The articles will be displayed differently depending on the app you use, how you configure the app, and how the publishers send out their information. You may get just a headline and a link, a paragraph or two, or a full story. Most RSS readers will let you mark items to be permanently saved, read later, or shared with others. And some will suggest links for you or help you to find new stuff - but that’s something I definitely don’t need!

The biggest name in RSS readers is Feedly, and that’s the tool I use. I’ve been using it for a while, so now it’s also a sad archive of old news sources that have closed up shop (you can unfollow links, I’m just lazy!).  
Picture
Other popular apps include The Old Reader and Feeder. All of these are browser based, though Feedly and The Old Reader also have mobile apps. All of the tools allow you to find, organize and sort your feeds, and customize your views - it mostly comes down to a case of personal preference.
Days can go by where I don’t even look at my RSS reader, just like days go by where the Sunday New York Times Magazine sits on my coffee table waiting for me. But online, at least, I know that when I’m ready, it will still be there, waiting for a snow day or a magic half hour, with plenty for me to read.

1 Comment
Stacy
3/14/2019 05:32:02 pm

It made me laugh that THIS article had been "waiting in one of a hundred browser tabs" for days when I finally got around to reading it. Guilty as charged!

Reply

Your comment will be posted after it is approved.


Leave a Reply.

    Forum Newsletter

    Co-Editors
    ​Luke Steere and Michelle Fontaine

    Michelle is School Librarian at Epstein Hillel School in Marblehead; Luke is School Librarian at  Wilson Middle in Natick

    Click to set custom HTML

    Categories

    All
    AASL
    Academic
    Advocacy
    ALA
    Authors
    Book Bans
    Book Challenges
    Book Trailers
    Cataloging
    Censorship
    Column
    Conference
    Copyright
    Culture
    Databases
    Dewey
    Digital Citizenship
    E Books
    E-books
    Elementary
    ESSA
    Ethics
    Evaluation
    Graphic Books
    Graphic Novels
    Inquiry
    Leadership
    Learning Commons
    Legislation
    Literacy
    Maker Space
    Nonfiction
    Orientation
    Picture Books
    Planning
    PLN
    President's Remarks
    Professional Development
    Reading
    Research
    Science
    Secondary
    Social Justice
    Standards
    Technology
    Union
    Volunteers
    Weeding

    Archives

    February 2025
    May 2024
    February 2024
    October 2023
    May 2023
    February 2023
    October 2022
    May 2022
    February 2022
    October 2021
    May 2021
    February 2021
    October 2020
    May 2020
    February 2020
    October 2019
    May 2019
    February 2019
    October 2018
    May 2018
    February 2018
    October 2017
    September 2017
    May 2017
    February 2017
    October 2016
    May 2016
    February 2016
    November 2015
    April 2015

    MSLA Forum Past Issues:
    January 2015
    April 2015
    ​
    2002-2015 MSLA Forum
The Massachusetts School Library Association  works to ensure every school has a school library program that is fully integrated at all grade levels across the curriculum and has a significant and measurable impact on student achievement….Read more…..and Learn more about MSLA

Picture
Contact MSLA:
Emily Kristofek, Office Manager/Event Planner
P.O. Box 336. Wayland, MA 01778
[email protected]
​
508-276-1697 

Massachusetts School Library Association. All Rights Reserved.  Copyright 2025.