post #5 - I didn't know we had that...

As a librarian, my job is to promote resources and services at my library. Therefore, I am always amazed when I discover new things that we have to offer.

I’ve heard about RSS features within the different electronic databases, but I really never took the time to explore them. I knew you could subscribe to search results and receive relevant articles on that topic as they are published. I never got too excited about this feature since I feel it usually takes multiple steps to locate relevant articles on many topics.

Lately, however, I stumbled upon a more attractive use of these RSS feeds within the databases. I like to browse through certain paper journals as they arrive at the library. Recently, I learned that I can subscribe to journal titles through some of our electronic databases. When a new issue becomes available, the articles are sent to my feed reader. I can them browse through the titles and abstracts and save the articles that I’m interested in reading. I love this option! Not only does this provide me with access to journals that we don’t have a paper subscription to, but it also makes it much more convenient to stay on top of the latest research and save articles that are of interest to me.

There’s nothing like discovering something that you already own. I guess it’s kind of like finding $5.00 in your pocket that you didn’t know was there!

post #4- the simple things

Although portable CD players and walkmans have been around for quite some time, MP3 players and ipods seem so revolutionary to me. There's so much freedom in being able to carry around your entire music collection in your pocket wherever you go. I have taken advantage of toting around audiobooks, lectures, podcasts and sermons, as well. Marvelous.

This week I learned about a new technology that has probably been around for awhile without grabbing my attention. I believe the technology is referred to as text-to-speech. There are lots of free programs out there that turn text into an audio file that can be stored on an MP3 player. This means you can basically turn any digitized book into an audiobook and turn any electronic article into a lecture.

The biggest downside is the mechanized voice, although some advertise their “natural voice.” I need to experiment a little more to see if I agree, but regardless, this seems like an excellent tool for auditory learners (and any busy student, really). I know this isn’t revolutionary, but sometimes it’s the simple things…

Anyone had experiences (good or bad) with TTS (text to speech)?