Blogs and RSS : Communication Starts Here Bridget Schumacher, Assistant Librarian University at Buffalo Libraries April 15, 2008

Source: http://www.sifry.com/alerts/archives/000493.html

What is a blog? Website that is updated regularly Posts written by blogger appear in reverse chronological order Contains links, videos, images, text, etc. (Can be) a tool for conversation

Website that is updated regularly

Posts written by blogger appear in reverse chronological order

Contains links, videos, images, text, etc.

(Can be) a tool for conversation

Why blog? Strengthen your identity Promote yourself, company or services Share information Network and build relationships

Strengthen your identity

Promote yourself, company or services

Share information

Network and build relationships

Types of Blogs Personal Professional Topical Corporate

Personal

Professional

Topical

Corporate

Anatomy of a Blog Source: http://contentious.com/archives/2005/08/22/anatomy-of-a-blog-posting

Source: http://contentious.com/archives/2005/08/22/anatomy-of-a-blog-posting

Source: http://contentious.com/archives/2005/08/22/anatomy-of-a-blog-posting

How can we use blogs? Frequently updated newsletter Announce news and events Chronicle a project Highlight news and resources to a specific group Replace listserv postings Source: Stephens, Michael. (2006). Web 2.0 & Libraries: Best Practices for Social Libraries. Chicago, IL.: American Library Association.

Frequently updated newsletter

Announce news and events

Chronicle a project

Highlight news and resources to a specific group

Replace listserv postings

Creating a Blog

Locating Blogs Blog search engines Blog directories Ask people with similar interests Peruse blogrolls

Blog search engines

Blog directories

Ask people with similar interests

Peruse blogrolls

What is RSS? Technology used to share content Stands for ‘ Really Simple Syndication’ ‘ Rich Site Summary’

Technology used to share content

Stands for

‘ Really Simple Syndication’

‘ Rich Site Summary’

Example of an RSS Feed Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RSS_(file_format)

How can we use RSS?

University at Buffalo Libraries http://ublib.buffalo.edu

Tufts University, Edwin Ginn Library http://www.library.tufts.edu/ginn

What are aggregators? Used to read RSS feeds Display new content from websites Also called: feed reader news reader RSS reader Web-based and desktop

Used to read RSS feeds

Display new content from websites

Also called:

feed reader

news reader

RSS reader

Web-based and desktop

Reading Blogs via Google Reader: web-based RSS aggregator

Demo Google Reader Go to http://reader.google.com Create an account If you already have a Google account, use that to log-in Find a feed to add (look for RSS icon) Click ‘Add subscription’ Enter the feed URL and click ‘Add’ You just subscribed to a feed!

Go to http://reader.google.com

Create an account

If you already have a Google account, use that to log-in

Find a feed to add (look for RSS icon)

Click ‘Add subscription’

Enter the feed URL and click ‘Add’

You just subscribed to a feed!

Questions? Comments? Bridget Schumacher [email_address]