RSS and Libraries Michelle Misner NYLA Conference October 19, 2007

Contents What is RSS? What content is RSS-ified? How are libraries using RSS? Why should I subscribe to RSS feeds? How do I subscribe to feeds? How do I find feeds? How do I search feeds?

What is RSS?

What content is RSS-ified?

How are libraries using RSS?

Why should I subscribe to RSS feeds?

How do I subscribe to feeds?

How do I find feeds?

How do I search feeds?

What is RSS? Stands for “Really Simple Syndication” Content from the Web which is parsed into an XML, RSS or RDF file Can only be read with a news aggregator or news reader Can’t be read in a browser on its own Look for the orange XML button or the Firefox RSS icon

Stands for “Really Simple Syndication”

Content from the Web which is parsed into an XML, RSS or RDF file

Can only be read with a news aggregator or news reader

Can’t be read in a browser on its own

Look for the orange XML button or the Firefox RSS icon

Sample RSS code <?xml version=&quot;1.0&quot; encoding=&quot;utf-8&quot; ?> <rss version=&quot;2.0&quot;> <channel> <title>New Databases at NYPL</title> <description>List of recent additions to the Databases and Indexes subscription and free databases at The New York Public Library</description> <copyright>Copyright The New York Public Library</copyright> <link>http://www.nypl.org/rss/databases.xml</link> <image> <url>http://www.nypl.org/databases/images/onsite.gif</url> <title>The New York Public Library</title> <link>http://www.nypl.org/rss/databases.xml</link> </image>

RSS Examples News Feed – NY Times http:// www.nytimes.com/services/xml/rss/index.html Blogs – Library blogs http://www.blogwithoutalibrary.net/links/index.php?title=Welcome_to_the_Blogging_Libraries_Wiki Podcasting – WNYC http:// www.wnyc.org/podcasting /

News Feed – NY Times http:// www.nytimes.com/services/xml/rss/index.html

Blogs – Library blogs http://www.blogwithoutalibrary.net/links/index.php?title=Welcome_to_the_Blogging_Libraries_Wiki

Podcasting – WNYC http:// www.wnyc.org/podcasting /

RSS Examples II Subscription Databases http://www.library.wisc.edu/alerts/rss-alert-guides.html E-Journals Table of Contents http:// library.usask.ca/ejournals/rss_feeds.php Government Agencies http://www.firstgov.gov/Topics/Reference_Shelf/Libraries/RSS_Library.shtml

Subscription Databases http://www.library.wisc.edu/alerts/rss-alert-guides.html

E-Journals Table of Contents http:// library.usask.ca/ejournals/rss_feeds.php

Government Agencies http://www.firstgov.gov/Topics/Reference_Shelf/Libraries/RSS_Library.shtml

RSS Examples III Library of Congress http:// www.loc.gov/rss / Del.icio.us http:// del.icio.us RSS Feed for Search Terms http:// search.msn.com/docs/help.aspx?t = SEARCH_PROC_UseRSStoSaveanMSNSearchQuery.htm

Library of Congress http:// www.loc.gov/rss /

Del.icio.us http:// del.icio.us

RSS Feed for Search Terms http:// search.msn.com/docs/help.aspx?t = SEARCH_PROC_UseRSStoSaveanMSNSearchQuery.htm

How are libraries using RSS? Promote Events, New Databases, Selected Internet Links http://www.nypl.org/rss/ Small Business Feed from The New York Times http:// smallbiz.nypl.org New York Times Book Reviews http:// www.nypl.org /branch/books/

Promote Events, New Databases, Selected Internet Links http://www.nypl.org/rss/

Small Business Feed from The New York Times http:// smallbiz.nypl.org

New York Times Book Reviews http:// www.nypl.org /branch/books/

Libraries and RSS Catalog, Book Lists, Events http:// www.hclib.org/pub/search/RSS.cfm Research Guides Updates http:// www.kclibrary.org/rss / Del.icio.us Research Guides http:// library.southernct.edu/physbib.htm

Catalog, Book Lists, Events http:// www.hclib.org/pub/search/RSS.cfm

Research Guides Updates http:// www.kclibrary.org/rss /

Del.icio.us Research Guides http:// library.southernct.edu/physbib.htm

Why should I subscribe? Browsing the Web is obsolete Make the Web work for you by having the content come to you Keep up-to-date in your areas of interest Saves time checking sites for updates Manage discussion lists: http:// www.blogwithoutalibrary.net/?p =74

Browsing the Web is obsolete

Make the Web work for you by having the content come to you

Keep up-to-date in your areas of interest

Saves time checking sites for updates

Manage discussion lists: http:// www.blogwithoutalibrary.net/?p =74

How do I subscribe? Find a News Reader and download the software OR use a Web-based News Reader http://tinyurl.com/5gl6 Set up a Bloglines account http:// www.bloglines.com / Set up a My Yahoo! account Add a Live Bookmark in the Firefox browser

Find a News Reader and download the software OR use a Web-based News Reader http://tinyurl.com/5gl6

Set up a Bloglines account http:// www.bloglines.com /

Set up a My Yahoo! account

Add a Live Bookmark in the Firefox browser

3 Steps to Adding Feeds Find the feed in your topic of interest Click on the feed URL Copy and paste the URL into your news reader

Find the feed in your topic of interest

Click on the feed URL

Copy and paste the URL into your news reader

How do I find feeds? Syndic8 http://www.syndic8.com Blogstreet http:// www.blogstreet.com/rssdiscovery.html News is Free http:// www.newsisfree.com List of Directories http:// allrss.com/rssdirectories.html

Syndic8 http://www.syndic8.com

Blogstreet http:// www.blogstreet.com/rssdiscovery.html

News is Free http:// www.newsisfree.com

List of Directories http:// allrss.com/rssdirectories.html

How do I search feeds? Feedster http:// www.feedster.com Technorati http:// www.technorati.com Blogdigger http:// www.blogdigger.com/index.html List of Search Engines http:// allrss.com/rsssearch.html

Feedster http:// www.feedster.com

Technorati http:// www.technorati.com

Blogdigger http:// www.blogdigger.com/index.html

List of Search Engines http:// allrss.com/rsssearch.html

RSS Tutorials RSS Video http://tametheweb.com/2007/09/tonight_in_lis768_blogs_rss.html Tufts University – Overview Tutorial http://www.library.tufts.edu/ginn/tutorials/webfeeds/index.html Bloglines for Librarians http:// joy.mollprojects.com/myprojects/rss/quickrss.html

RSS Video http://tametheweb.com/2007/09/tonight_in_lis768_blogs_rss.html

Tufts University – Overview Tutorial http://www.library.tufts.edu/ginn/tutorials/webfeeds/index.html

Bloglines for Librarians http:// joy.mollprojects.com/myprojects/rss/quickrss.html

Resources RSS 4 Libraries Blog http://www.rss4lib.com Bibliography re: blogging and RSS in Libraries http:// www.blogwithoutalibrary.net/?page_id =93 RSS Compendium http:// allrss.com/index.html

RSS 4 Libraries Blog http://www.rss4lib.com

Bibliography re: blogging and RSS in Libraries http:// www.blogwithoutalibrary.net/?page_id =93

RSS Compendium http:// allrss.com/index.html

Thank You Contact Information: Michelle Misner [email_address]

Contact Information: Michelle Misner [email_address]