Beyond Newsletters: RSS Feeds, Blogs & Podcasts

Wisconsin Library Association Annual Conference

November 3, 2006

• First: – Examine the tools

• Then: – Explore using them for marketing &

communication

Blogs

A blog IS a Web site

But the structure is slightly different than a traditional website

The Blogosphere

• There are 50 Million+ blogs

• Blogosphere doubles every 6 months

• On average, two new blogs are created every second

As of August 2006 from: Sifry’s Alertshttp://www.sifry.com/alerts/archives/000436.html

Blog Features

Brief informational posts in reverse

chronological order

Archives of previously posted content; Subscription options (appear below)

Comment feature offers interactivity

Blawg=Law-related blog

“A lot of times in classes, you’re dealing with things that already happened.

[Blogging] is a way to actually see a lot of things going on in the world and apply it in class.”

-- UW-Madison Student Badger Herald, November 17, 2004

Kryptonite Locks

Finding Blogs – Library Related

• Blogwithoutalibrary http://www.blogwithoutalibrary.net/links.html– List of blogs by library type

• Library Weblogs http://www.libdex.com/weblogs.html– List of blogs by country

What does “RSS” stand for?

• Rich Site Summary

• Really Simple Syndication

• RDF Site Summary

What are RSS feeds?

• Family of “web feeds”– XML, Atom

• Feeds send new content to the user – automatic

• Usually includes headline, link, and summary - can also include TOCs and search results

How do you read feeds?

• Requires software– Desktop or Web-based news aggregator– E-mail client or Web browser

• Easiest option: Web-based aggregator– Bloglines, MyYahoo, Rojo, Google Reader

• http://allrss.com/rssreaders.html• http://www.newsonfeeds.com/faq/aggregators

Options

Summary

Headline/link

Date

Author

Customized display: headline and summary

Headlines only

How do you find feeds?

• Search engines– General - use for very narrow search– Specialized - Feedster, Newsisfree,

Syndic8, Lisfeeds

• Browsers– IE 7, Firefox

• Look for buttons:

RSS Feeds – Custom Blog Feeds

• Google Blog Search - http://blogsearch.google.com/

Advantages of RSS

• Customized content in one place

• Automatic, brings content to you

• Reduces spam and e-mail

• Deliver content to multiple devices– E-mail, Web browsers, handhelds

Disadvantages of RSS

• Lack of context

• Content not automatically saved – advantage and disadvantage

• Potential for exploitation

Podcasting - Where Did It Come From?

+

Podcasting - What is it?

“A podcast is a multimedia file distributed over the Internet using syndication feeds, for playback on mobile devices and personal computers “

Wikipedia definition as of 10/27/06

Podcasting - Random Facts

Download content as a file - unlike streaming, TV, radio

Time shifting ability - just like TiVO™

Usually audio (mp3), but now with video as well

Can subscribe to, or not

You don’t even need a pod!

How Do I Find Podcasts?

iTunes (www.apple.com/itunes)

Juice (http://juicereceiver.sourceforge.net/)

Podcast Alley (www.podcastalley.com)

Podcast.net (www.podcast.net)

Bloglines (http://www.bloglines.com/)

Search engines

Friends, colleagues

How Do I Use a Podcast?

With an aggregator or receiver (shared)

With software on your personal computer (like iTunes, Juice or RSSRadio)

On a mobile device (mp3 player, PDA, cell phone, etc)

On a website using links:

How Do I Make a Podcast?

Read the Wikipedia article + links

Hardware (microphone, computer and/or mp3 player/recorder)

Software (Audacity, Adobe Audition, Apple GarageBand, lots of others)

Remember the legal stuff - http://wiki.creativecommons.org/Welcome_To_The_Podcasting_Legal_Guide

Creating A Library Blog

• Purpose– To communicate with

your users

– To communicate with library staff

Creating A Library Blog

• Considerations– Benefits

– Drawbacks

• Weigh the cost of your time

• Assess skills & training time needed

• Consider other time-consuming projects

• Consider other blogs, etc. that offer similar information

Is Blogging Worth Your Time?Is Blogging Worth Your Time?

Blogging Software

• Blog Software Comparison Chart - http://www.ojr.org/ojr/images/ blog_software_comparison.cfm

Blogging Policies

• Good policy will:– Ensure that blog reflects well on your library

– Offer guidance to bloggers on what is and is not appropriate

The Library Blogger’s Personal Protocols http://www.tametheweb.com/ttwblog/archives/000568.html

Sample Corporate Blogging Policy & Blogger Code of Ethics http://forrester.typepad.com/charleneli/2004/11/blogging_policy.html

RSS and libraries

• External – for patrons– Library news and events– New book titles and book reviews– New journal articles and subject news

alerts– Announcements/updates for classes– Marketing tool

Example: Database search queries (Academic Search)• Save searches as RSS feeds

• Poor usability– Have to sign in to save search as alert– No RSS or XML button– RSS listed as option under e-mail delivery– Generates URL to copy and paste into

aggregator, but directions are poor

RSS and libraries

• Internal – for staff– Current awareness for staff– Collection development – feeds of new

titles from publishers– Communication/announcements for library

staff

Library catalogs

• For patrons– Catalog searches– New titles– Holds, due dates

• For staff– Automatically feed e-journal TOC data or

other metadata into library catalogs

Example: Library catalogs

• Allegany County (Library.Solution)– Users perform search, click RSS button,

and paste URL into aggregator (such as Bloglines)

Example: Library catalogs

How do you create feeds?

• Software tools: FeedForAll

• Hand code it (RSS 2.0)

• Web sites: Feedyes, Ponyfish

• Use blogging software– WordPress, Blogger, Typepad, Movable

Type

Further reading

• Sauers, Michael P. Blogging and RSS: a librarian’s guide, Information Today, 2006.

Should We Podcast?

Do you have the time?

Interested staff?

Software, hardware?

Legal and interesting content?

Ideas, passion & committment?

If so then go for it!

Podcasting & Libraries Ideas

News & eventsAnnouncementsSelf-guided toursLibrary instruction & supportInterviews and library speakersBook & media reviews or newsStories & other “audio books”Whatever your staff & patrons create

Libraries with PodcastsThomas Ford Memorial Library• “Click-a-Story” – stories for kids read by staff• http://www.fordlibrary.org/rss/

Arizona State University• Library Channel – news about what is going on in the ASU

libraries• http://www.asu.edu/lib/podcasts/

J. J. Hill Reference Library• “offers educational programs and business learning

seminars with featured speakers on a variety of topics”• http://www.jjhill.org/Events/podcasts.cfm

Western Kentucky University Libraries• Offer audio library tours via a podcast PLUS lectures• http://www.wku.edu/Library/podcast/index.html

(thanks to Max Anderson of Solinet for these examples)

Podcasts for the People

Johns Hopkins Health & Medicine http://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/mediaII/Podcasts.html

National Public Radiohttp://www.npr.org/rss/podcast/podcast_directory.php

National Geographichttp://www.nationalgeographic.com/podcasts/

Civil War Traveller Podcastshttp://www.civilwartraveler.com/audio/index.html

So…

Will it make us hip and happening?

Well…

I find this kind of hip and happening!

(but I also like my Podcasts…)

Questions?

Bonnie Shucha, Head of ReferenceUniversity of Wisconsin Law Librarybjshucha@wisc.edu, IM: BonnieAtUWLaw

Amy GannawayWisconsin Department of Transportationamy.gannaway@dot.state.wi.us

Allan R Barclay, Information Architecture CoordinatorUniversity of Wisconsin-Madison

Ebling Library for the Health Sciencesabarclay@library.wisc.edu