The document discusses using blogs and RSS (Really Simple Syndication) to communicate with constituencies. It covers topics like what blogs are, popular blogging platforms, reasons to use blogs, examples of library blogs, who blogs are good for marketing to, and finding library blogs. It also discusses what RSS is, examples of organizations that syndicate content via RSS, news aggregators, customizing RSS feeds, and using RSS in libraries.

1. Communicating With Your Constituency via Blogs and RSS Steven M. Cohen PubSub Concepts, Inc Library Stuff CFL – Sept 2005

2. Presentation URL http://www.stevenmcohen.info/CFL09142005.ppt

3. Thinking Ahead “ To stay ahead, you must have your next idea waiting in the wings.” - Rosabeth Moss Cantor “ Keeping a little ahead of conditions is one of the secrets of business.” - Charles Schwab “ It’s better to be ahead of the curve than to be behind it.” - Me

4. Topics Covered Weblogs - What? How? Why? Where? Who? When? RSS (Really Simple Syndication)

5. What? Website, listed chronologically, with written content and links. Most use software for easy publication. Calendars, Permalinks, Archives, RSS, blogroll, comments. Easy Easy Easy Easy Easy…

6. What? (Examples) Library Stuff ( www.librarystuff.net ) LISNews ( http://www.lisnews.com ) Resourceshelf ( http://www.resourceshelf.com ) The Shifted Librarian ( http://www.theshiftedlibrarian.com ) Librarian.net ( http://www.librarian.net )

7. How? (Software) Blogger ( http://www.blogger.com ) Movabletype ( http://www.movabletype.org ) Radio Userland ( http://radio.userland.com ) WordPress ( http://www.wordpress.org ) Live Journal ( http://www.livejournal.com )

8. How? (Let’s Create one)

9. Which? (Choosing One) $$$ How do you get the software? Spell check? Free Web Space?

10. Why? (Using Weblogs) Easy to distribute content Communication within the building (reference desk) Great for Library Web pages.

11. Why? (Examples) Library News Reference Desk Discussion (FARQs, patrons, etc) New Acquisitions. Consortia Book Clubs Backend CMS only

12. Why? (Advantages) Easy, Easy, Easy, Easy, Easy to publish No need to download software Open source, open access feeling Interactive No Rules

13. Why not? (Disadvantages) Information Overload?! Have to continuously update them Takes time on behalf of the writer Crossposting Subjective Reliability of content No Rules

14. Where? (Examples) Waterboro Public Library ( http://www.waterborolibrary.org/blog.htm ) Georgia State University Libraries ( http://www.library.gsu.edu/news ) Rosedale Public Library Blogger Book Club ( http://www.roselle.lib.il.us/YouthServices/BookClub/Bloggerbookclub.htm )

15. Where? (Examples) Construction Diary ( http://urbanafreelibrary.org/bldgblog.html ) University of Minnesota Libraries ( http://blog.lib.umn.edu ) Wisconsin Library Association ( http://wlaweb.blogspot.com/ ) Metropolitan Library System ( http://www.mls.lib.il.us/ ) Simple Machine Blog – ( http://www.resco.ca/machineblog/ )

16. Who? (Marketing) Stand out in the crowd. Ease of use Best way to publish without trade publications (on your own terms) Finding your niche ( http://marylaine.com/exlibris/xlib185.html ) Write everyday Marketing the Librarian – ( http://www.liscareer.com/cohen_marketing.htm )

17. Who? (Searching For Weblogs) Searching weblog content. PubSub – ( http://www.pubsub.com )

18. Who? (LIS Specific) Peter Scott’s List ( www.libdex.com/weblogs.html ) ODP Library Weblogs – ( http://tinyurl.com/ew7o ) Blog Without a Library - ( http://www.blogwithoutalibrary.net/links.html )

19. Getting Associations to Blog The first national association blog for PLA http://www.plablog.org

20. RSS 101 Can’t be read in a browser on its own. Look for the orange button!!! Steven’s Personalized Page (DEMO)

21. Examples of Companies that Syndicate Content via RSS Chronicle of Higher Education http://chronicle.com/help/rss.htm Reuters ( http://www.reuters.com/newsrss.jhtml ) New York Times http://www.nytimes.com/services/xml/rss/index.html Christian Science Monitor http:// search.csmonitor.com/rss/index.html

22. News Aggregators Bloglines (Demo) http://www.bloglines.com Net News Wire (Mac) http://www.netnewswire.com Newzcrawler http://www.newzcrawler.com Newsgator (Outlook) http://www.newsgator.com

23. Customize Your RSS Topix ( http://www.topix.net ) Ingenta Connect – ( http://www.ingentaconnect.com ) Yahoo News Search Wired News PubSub – ( http://www.pubsub.com )

24. RSS is Very Popular in Canada Globe and Mail – ( http://www.theglobeandmail.com/rss/ ) Government – ( http://tinyurl.com/d4xbe ) CBC News – ( http://www.cbc.ca/rss/ )

25. House of Commons Hack Charles Angus http://www.parl.gc.ca/38/1/parlbus/chambus/house/debates/111_2005-06-08/han111_1500-E.htm#SOB-1329090 http://atom.pubsub.com/dc/f4/26ebc51de43d5d469436cc22b3.xml

27. Customize Your RSS Moreover ( http://p.moreover.com/cgi-local/page?k=librarian&o=rss ) ODP Directory Feeds – ( http://www.xmlhub.com/odp_feed.php ) Find Articles – ( http://www.findarticles.com/ ) Amazon – ( http://www.onfocus.com/bookwatch/AmazonRSS.asp ) Amazon Wishlists – (http://www.edazzle.net/amazon/)

28. Customize Your RSS Ebay – ( http://www.rssauction.com/ )

29. RSS @ Your Library RSS in Your ILS (Jenny Levine) - http://www.theshiftedlibrarian.com/archives/2005/02/03.html#000115 ) New Books – ( http://apu.kenton.lib.ky.us/newbooks/newadult.php ) Library Elf – ( http://www.libraryelf.com/ ) University of Alberta (NEOS) – ( http://www.library.ualberta.ca/newbooks/index.cfm#callnumber ) Hennepin County Public Library – ( http://www.hclib.org/ )

30. More RSS @ Your Library Oklahoma University Library – ( http://libraries.ou.edu/rss/ ) RIT Libraries – ( http://wally.rit.edu/feeds/ ) Kelvin Smith Library – ( http:// library.case.edu/ksl/rss / )

31. A Bit on Folksonomies “ Build Your Own Taxonomies” Furl – ( http://www.furl.net/ ) Delicious – ( http://del.icio.us ) Cite U Like ( http://www.citeulike.org/ ) Digg – ( http://digg.com ) (We know this as Metadata)

32. Disadvantages of RSS Can become unruly, quickly Not Everything is RSSified

33. Advantages of RSS Cutting edge technology No advertisements to deal with More and more join RSS every day Saves lots of time (4 hours  30 minutes) Can be syndicated onto a web site Syndication works well for frequently and infrequently update sites

34. Thanks Contact (in this order) AOL IM – nylibrarian Skype – stevenmcohen Phone – 631-645-4516 E-mail – [email_address]