05/20/2008 Using Database RSS Feeds For Dynamic Web Content Get More from Your Library Databases Robin Hastings Information Technology Manager Missouri River Regional Library robin.hastings@gmail.com

Getting To Know You HTML skills? What do you expect from this workshop? Webgoddess.pbwiki.com Virtual Handout!

HTML skills?

What do you expect from this workshop?

*We* know what great stuff is in our subscription databases. How do we get our patrons to realize that? Put database results (and links) in front of them as often as possible!

*We* know what great stuff is in our subscription databases. How do we get our patrons to realize that?

RSS Definition, structure and usage Break! Database Search Feeds EBSCOHost examples Database Journal Alerts EBSCOHost examples Other Databases Break! Using RSS On Your Website Marketing Your New Service

RSS

Definition, structure and usage

Break!

Database Search Feeds

EBSCOHost examples

Database Journal Alerts

EBSCOHost examples

Other Databases

Break!

Using RSS On Your Website

Marketing Your New Service

Definition, structure and usage

Definition, structure and usage

Feed An xml file containing headlines and descriptions also called news feed, content feed, xml feed or web feed. Aggregator Web-based aggregators allow individuals to subscribe to feeds online and read feeds in a web browser. Desktop aggregators are software programs installed locally that updates when feeds are updated. The aggregator shows new information and allow for users to read feeds. OPML an XML-based format that allows exchange of outline-structured information between applications running on different operating systems and environments . http://www.feedforall.com/rss-glossary.htm

Feed

An xml file containing headlines and descriptions also called news feed, content feed, xml feed or web feed.

Aggregator

Web-based aggregators allow individuals to subscribe to feeds online and read feeds in a web browser. Desktop aggregators are software programs installed locally that updates when feeds are updated. The aggregator shows new information and allow for users to read feeds.

OPML

an XML-based format that allows exchange of outline-structured information between applications running on different operating systems and environments .

http://www.feedforall.com/rss-glossary.htm

Parser process of analyzing a sequence of tokens to determine grammatical structure with respect to a given (more or less) formal grammar. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parser Subscribe The user subscribes to a feed by entering the feed's link into the reader or by clicking an RSS icon in a browser that initiates the subscription process. The RSS reader checks the user's subscribed feeds regularly for new content http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RSS_(file_format) Syndicate To supply information or content for simultaneous publications in several periodicals or web sites http://www.feedforall.com/rss-glossary.htm

Parser

process of analyzing a sequence of tokens to determine grammatical structure with respect to a given (more or less) formal grammar.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parser

Subscribe

The user subscribes to a feed by entering the feed's link into the reader or by clicking an RSS icon in a browser that initiates the subscription process. The RSS reader checks the user's subscribed feeds regularly for new content

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RSS_(file_format)

Syndicate

To supply information or content for simultaneous publications in several periodicals or web sites

http://www.feedforall.com/rss-glossary.htm

eXtensible Markup Language Father (mother?) of HTML, SGML, MathML, and a bunch of other MLs (as well as RSS) Uses DTDs (Doc Type Definitions) or Schemas to define a language of tags Tags define the data the machine expects and allows machines to read data Validation

eXtensible Markup Language

Father (mother?) of HTML, SGML, MathML, and a bunch of other MLs (as well as RSS)

Uses DTDs (Doc Type Definitions) or Schemas to define a language of tags

Tags define the data the machine expects and allows machines to read data

Validation

XML-based language Really Simple Syndication RDF Site Summary Rich Site Summary Conceived in 1995 First used in Netscape's “My Netscape” portal in 1999 AOL didn't like it, downplayed it Really took off in 2003 It’s Not ATOM

XML-based language

Really Simple Syndication

RDF Site Summary

Rich Site Summary

Conceived in 1995

First used in Netscape's “My Netscape” portal in 1999

AOL didn't like it, downplayed it

Really took off in 2003

Structure Items in a single channel Each item contains title, link & description (tags with attributes) PubDate enables “on demand” publishing – let aggregators know what is new

Structure

Items in a single channel

Each item contains title, link & description (tags with attributes)

PubDate enables “on demand” publishing – let aggregators know what is new

<rss version=&quot;2.0&quot;> <channel> (title, link, description) <item> <title>Lloyd George Knew My Great-Great Grandmother.</title> <link>http://0-search.ebscohost.com.catalog.mrrl.org/login.aspx?direct=true&amp;db=afh&amp;AN=24441857&amp;site=ehost-live</link> <description>History Today; 03/01/2007&lt;br /&gt;(AN 24441857)&lt;br /&gt; Academic Search Elite</description> <author>Snow, Dan</author> <guid isPermaLink=&quot;false&quot;>afh_AN_24441857</guid> </item> </channel> </rss>

<rss version=&quot;2.0&quot;> <channel> (title, link, description)

<item>

<title>Lloyd George Knew My Great-Great Grandmother.</title>

<link>http://0-search.ebscohost.com.catalog.mrrl.org/login.aspx?direct=true&amp;db=afh&amp;AN=24441857&amp;site=ehost-live</link>

<description>History Today; 03/01/2007&lt;br /&gt;(AN 24441857)&lt;br /&gt; Academic Search Elite</description>

<author>Snow, Dan</author>

<guid isPermaLink=&quot;false&quot;>afh_AN_24441857</guid>

</item>

</channel>

</rss>

http://www.mls.lib.il.us/ennounce/ennounce.rss Browsers are helpful – you might get a “subscribe” page Use View menu – choose Source option to see raw RSS code

http://www.mls.lib.il.us/ennounce/ennounce.rss

Browsers are helpful – you might get a “subscribe” page

Use View menu – choose Source option to see raw RSS code

Blogs Aggregators Sources News sites, blogs, libraries, stores...

Blogs

Aggregators

Sources

News sites, blogs, libraries, stores...

New, cleaner search screen Result list with user-customization features Preview the article’s citation from result list Limiters in right hand column My EbscoHost Share with other EbscoHost users Visual Search Advanced Search screen Lots of new features Branding Add your logo to EbscoHost’s pages Image View See images without opening the article Improved bibliographic functions Coming June 2008!

New, cleaner search screen

Result list with user-customization features

Preview the article’s citation from result list

Limiters in right hand column

My EbscoHost

Share with other EbscoHost users

Visual Search

Advanced Search screen

Lots of new features

Branding

Add your logo to EbscoHost’s pages

Image View

See images without opening the article

Improved bibliographic functions

Easy – no server side tech required Unpredictable – their server goes down, your feed goes down

Easy – no server side tech required

Unpredictable – their server goes down, your feed goes down

http://itde.vccs.edu/rss2js/build.php - Feed2JS

http://itde.vccs.edu/rss2js/build.php - Feed2JS

http://www.rss-to-javascript.com/p/138.html - RSS -To-Javascript

http://www.rss-to-javascript.com/p/138.html - RSS -To-Javascript

http://www.feedroll.com/rssviewer/ RSS Viewer & Feed Combiner

http://www.feedroll.com/rssviewer/

RSS Viewer & Feed Combiner

Open Notepad, start a new file Type in <html><title>RSS Test</title><body> Copy in Javascript code from RSS to Javascript service Type in </body></html> Save the Notepad file View your page in your browser

Open Notepad, start a new file

Type in <html><title>RSS Test</title><body>

Copy in Javascript code from RSS to Javascript service

Type in </body></html>

Save the Notepad file

View your page in your browser

Pre-written libraries available in lots of other languages (Ruby on Rails, Cold Fusion, etc.) Requires PHP or ASP server side languages Requires some access to the server Requires some knowledge of programming

Pre-written libraries available in lots of other languages (Ruby on Rails, Cold Fusion, etc.)

Requires PHP or ASP server side languages

Requires some access to the server

Requires some knowledge of programming

http://www.rss-info.com/ - (JS or PHP)‏ http://www.tecnorama.org/document.php?id_doc=68 - (DreamWeaver Extension - PHP)‏ http://www.geckotribe.com/rss/carp/manual/ - (PHP - free and for pay versions) ‏ http://www.bytescout.com/how_to_display_rss_using_asp.html - (ASP)‏

http://www.rss-info.com/ - (JS or PHP)‏

http://www.tecnorama.org/document.php?id_doc=68 - (DreamWeaver Extension - PHP)‏

http://www.geckotribe.com/rss/carp/manual/ - (PHP - free and for pay versions) ‏

http://www.bytescout.com/how_to_display_rss_using_asp.html - (ASP)‏

Page created to show many different ways to put RSS on your site Each link shows an example of the way your feeds will look http://www.davidrothman.net/rss2webpage.html All links on all previous slides are on the virtual handout – don't forget!

Page created to show many different ways to put RSS on your site

Each link shows an example of the way your feeds will look

http://www.davidrothman.net/rss2webpage.html

All links on all previous slides are on the virtual handout – don't forget!

DATABASE PROVIDERS OFFERING ALERT SERVICES EBSCOhost Project Muse Wilson Web Thomson Gale Many more See links on virtual handout (webgoddess.pbwiki.com) to lists that other libraries have created More every day…

EBSCOhost

Project Muse

Wilson Web

Thomson Gale

Many more

See links on virtual handout (webgoddess.pbwiki.com) to lists that other libraries have created

More every day…

Find Articles ( www.findarticles.com ) Search Results (Yahoo! News Search, Google, Google News, del.icio.us, etc.) http://news.search.yahoo.com/news/rss?p=ebooks http://sitening.com/evilrss/rss/?q=ebooks&num=20 http://news.google.com/news?hl=en&ned=&q=ebooks http://del.icio.us/rss/tag/ebooks

Find Articles ( www.findarticles.com )

Search Results (Yahoo! News Search, Google, Google News, del.icio.us, etc.)

http://news.search.yahoo.com/news/rss?p=ebooks

http://sitening.com/evilrss/rss/?q=ebooks&num=20

http://news.google.com/news?hl=en&ned=&q=ebooks

http://del.icio.us/rss/tag/ebooks

Social Networks MySpace, Facebook, Ning Announcements – Blog, Twitter Bookmarking – del.icio.us, mag.nol.ia – bookmark it and share your account with the world! Word-Of-Mouth Staff Training Programs (mention it early & often!) Traditional Bookmarks, flyers, brochures

Social Networks

MySpace, Facebook, Ning

Announcements – Blog, Twitter

Bookmarking – del.icio.us, mag.nol.ia – bookmark it and share your account with the world!

Word-Of-Mouth

Staff Training

Programs (mention it early & often!)

Traditional

Bookmarks, flyers, brochures