Overwhelmed is not myexperience when I visit my local library. On the contrary, as an active member of three libraries (Manly, Manhattan and Brooklyn – yeah I boast) my experience, is always one of hope and curiosity.
The book lined walls never reproach me for not having read them. Neither do I labour under the notion, that unless I’ve read every book in my area of interest, that somehow I’m not measuring up.
Yet, every time I open my Google RSS account, rather than curious, I feel paralized. Unread articles remind me that I’m not keeping up, even worse that my alerts are also unread in one of my subscribers Google Reader.
Unlike a library, where fines apply if books are delayed, RSS Readers are without built in actions that require us to stay on top of the avalanche of information. Sure, alerts ping our email, but it’s a safe bet that your inbox is in worse shape than your Reader.
Returning a read book to the library, on time, never fails to leave me with a sense of accomplishment. I’m always more productive when I use the library, instead of a cafe or home office.
When I use the the computers, or research library I’m rarely tempted to browse non related subjects. If I step away from a computer, another enthusiast won’t hesitate to take over. Even better, I rarely waste a minute of my time when I’m at the library, as unlike my home office, operating hours are non negotiable.
I confess, my RSS Google Reader feels more like a bourgeoning wheelbarrow that’s become too awkward to maneuver.
True to form when humans feel things have become difficult, my reading habits are returning to something simpler, less elusive and illusory.
NB: Written and posted from the Brooklyn Public Library 
Again, I find myself at the ‘low tech’ end of the continuum that ever seeks to herald the progress and advances of our society.
But this harbinger keeps flipping on me to become a hard-binger.
For example, the ‘really simple’ part of RSS got lost on me. It just turned into a gorging list builder of confusing, unread data.
Nowadays, I don’t use such a feeder, other than to say that following a very small, select group of RSS-ready people on Twitter substitutes very nicely as a ‘genius-version’ RSS feed.
My intellectual nourishment still comes from reading books and weekly visits to the library.
The joy of spending hours, dipping in and out of books, sitting in a silent corner with my short stack in the big stack, is something I truly relish.
The RSS feeder became yet another holding tank for the data largesse that many tread water in.
Again, drowning, not reading!
Robin
Robin
I don’t mind telling you, I believe your commitment to a small following has a great deal of merit.
For some one on the ‘low tech’ end, as you say, your commitment to a handful of ‘centurians’ shows.
Any one who knows you knows, you are on top of what’s going on in your stream.
I’m curious Robin, aside from your followers do you follow many outside your stream?
Cheers
Catherine
First off: LOVE YOU Catherine.
Loving this post and reading your thoughts on RSS vs Library experiences.
I agree with you Catherine and Robin. Drowning in the torrent of information is real. If only we could inject ones and zeros into our brains then we could upload and ‘know’ what we want to know when we want to know things.
Uploading anyone?
Nowadays my walk-in library are bookshops. Partly because I dont know where my local library is to be fair. I love the experience of searching and finding books in a bookstore letting serendipity play its course. Add in the aroma of coffee, a comfortable chair and I’m out for the count for an hr or 3.
Due to time constraints, RSS feeds, Twitter and Facebook are usually where my reading materials are sourced these days as well as the rich conversations/engagement online.
Boy you guys know a lot!!
Thank you teachers!!
Feeling the love, bro.
brALOHA!
Wow, great post catherine, I couldn’t agree more!! And how posh, to be a member of the Brooklyn library my dear
Just like Robin, I had my RSS reader before, but I just lost track of it because I was always falling behind… Still having a look at it here and there, mostly to follow my favourite blogs (which are on my Internet favourites anyway), but that’s it. Besides, Twitter has replaced RSS readers for me as a source of information. Just love it!
I also like the slow-pace of books, compared to the super-fast pace of surfing the Net and tweeting up. Feels good to slow things down and let your imagination take the lead sometimes.
And there’s nothing like the feeling of old-fashioned books, is there?! And that smell, that sense of anticipation before reading the 1st page…
Personally, I get my books from both bookstores and libraries (seems like we’re quite a bunch going to the Manly library these days, wink wink Robin!). I have to say, I find the City of Sydney network of libraries pretty good as well!
And as Iconic88 said, I love the serendipity at play when choosing a book. A librarian recommending his/her favourite books; spotting an interesting cover on one of the “return” trolleys; walking by an eye-catching book display in a window: sometimes that’s how you end up reading the best books ever!
PS1: just finished reading a great book. It’s called Sarah’s Key, by Tatiana de Rosnay. Tatiana is originally from the US, and she writes in English, but she now lives in Paris and works for the French ELLE among others. Pretty gripping story: http://www.ellesappelaitsarah.over-blog.com/article-22049887.html
PS2: Iconic, the new Surry Hills library on Crown St is a pretty fantastic space! Not next door to you but pretty cool to visit if you’re in the neighbourhood.
Thank you Myriam for the reco
)
Great post, Catherine.
Like some of the others, I gave up on RSS some time ago. My information now comes from Twitter, Facebook and selected blogs (like yours!). This is where I get the information I need/want to read and get value from.
I also love libraries and bookshops. Not just for the books but to observe people’s behaviours in terms of how they connect with the information and each other. I wrote half my book (Connection Generation, available in all good bookstores, libraries and Amazon.com – but not via RSS) at Stanton Library in North Sydney. Could not have done it without the atmosphere of creativity and thinking that was happening in the place.
As usual, love your work, Catherine and miss you!
It’s interesting to hear you wrote your book in a library, as my initial assessment of your book was; well researched.
Thanks for this background, Iggy as I’m always interested in the background behind a story.
Really enjoy your work
Cheers
Catherine
Ooh Catherine, Robin, Iggy, Iconic & Myriam … what a lovely conversation,
I must admit that I lost my book-reading mojo when I had my first child (now nearly 5) … I think largely because I either didn’t have the uninterrupted stretches of time to immerse myself in a book … or was too tired to.
But now my boys are 5 are 2 we’ve started visiting the library again … and whilst the visits are shorter than I would personally like given Mstr 2′s tendency to pull all the books off the shelves rather than read … but progress is progress
And now the boys are more likely to play happily by themselves (or *work* with dad), I am again rediscovering my love for immersing myself in books … as Robin described – dipping in and out … and as Myriam relishes, allowing my imagination to play.
I’m with Iggy too in terms of people watching at bookshops & libraries … particularly now watching kids as well … it is quite refreshing watching kids engage with books … even before they can read.
As for RSS feeds … I too rely heavily on Twitter to point me in the right direction … my new version of ‘serendipity’ in a way … and for the blogs that I think I might like to really stay ‘immersed’ in I hook them up to my iGoogle page. But I’ve let go of the need to read every post … if something catches my eye, it gets my attention … and if I realise that I haven’t clicked ‘into’ a blog for a while … I delete it … and create space for a new one. While my blog reading feeds a different need to my book reading, I still experience an expansion of my imagination as new ideas are sparked, connected and interweaved between posts, bloggers, members of my community (like this very one) and also seeing how others respond.
One of my greatest experiences ever was visiting Trinity College Library in Dublin.
I just don’t think an e-library would ever have the same impact.
to be honest Catherine sometimes when i look at my unread count on google reader i feel sick. funny we don’t feel that way in a library. i love the library but manly library think i never returned a book that B borrowed…and now i need a bank loan before i can go back inside to borrow again
…. however i get my literature highs when i’m feeling low from berkelouw!!
i did write about this on my blog a little while ago – see here… amazing photo of a library…. myriam perhaps you could do bookshop/library tours?
http://www.keyboardkarma.com/2010/03/use-your-local-library-to-save-money.html
Even as a late-adopter of RSS feeds I can see how quickly overwhelming the content can become (Feedly, Google Reader are my tools of choice). I have had a longstanding relationship with libraries and they represent a safe place to soak up knowledge, reflect and meditate. For many years the local library served as a pseudo childcare facility to wait on one parent to finish work while the other left to start theirs. It was also where we could indulge our senses when finances and the cost made buying books a luxury we could not afford. It is probably why I struggle to accomodate my burgeoning collection now!
Online sources – be it twitter, RSS feeds etc have for me always held a clinical element reserved for consuming bite size portions of information . To browse, absorb and savour books remains a favourite pastime that I don’t see for myself being replaced by technology any time soon!
Lol about the Really Simple part being lost on Robin. It is on me too. I spent hours sorting out my Google Reader with all the 100s of blogs I should read then never used it because it’s too overwhelming.
I find my blog reading on Twitter and in by email inbox.
I love the library for fiction, non-fiction and just quiet times. I need more of it:)