Speakers Amy Kearns Clifton Public Library

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Making IT Simple Blogging and RSS for Libraries
(for Beginners!)
Presented by the NJLA Information Technologies
Section SpeakersAmy KearnsClifton Public
Library Jessica UngerOcean County
Library September 14, 2005Ocean County Library,
Jackson Branch
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You know what a blog is, but

• Regularly updated content in the form of posts
  (usually dated)
• Recognizable author(s) with a specific viewpoint
• Archives of content
• Possible ability for others to comment on posts

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Blog or not a blog?
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Blog or not a blog?
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Blog or not a blog?
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Blog or not a blog?
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Why should libraries have blogs?

• People like them. Technorati provides an
  overview of blog usage.
• Its easy. You can set up a blog with Blogger at
  no cost and in very little time.
• Provide interactive web forum for those patrons
  who want it.
• Have an instant archive of all your news, events,
  announcements.

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Blog Creation Options

• Hosted
• Blogger http//www.blogger.com
• LiveJournal http//www.sixapart.com/livejournal/
• Xanga http//www.xanga.com/
• TypePad () http//www.sixapart.com/typepad/
• Unhosted
• MoveableType http//www.sixapart.com/movabletype/
  
• WordPress (can pay for hosting)
  http//wordpress.org/

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Blog Power!

• Bloggers invited to 2004 Democratic and
  Republican National Conventions
• Bloggers respond to Hurricane Katrina
• Lists of best blogs compiled by major
  publications (Blogs that Matter from
  Forbes.com)
• InfoToday has a mini-conference devoted to
  blogging in libraries Blog University

Bloggers at the 2004 Democratic National
Convention
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On to Blogger
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Promoting Your Librarys Blog

• Place a prominent link on your librarys web
  site.
• Include an article on your new blog in your
  newsletter. Continue to emphasize the blog by
  including highlights in the newsletter.
• Create bookmarks or business cards with your
  blogs title and URL.
• Have more than one blog and target them at user
  groups (children, teens, seniors, etc.)

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Things Libraries are Doing with Blogs

• Why and How to Use Blogs to Promote Your
  Library's Services by Darlene Fichter
  http//www.infotoday.com/mls/nov03/fichter.shtml
• Blogwithoutalibrary.nets Blogging Libraries
  http//blogwithoutalibrary.net/?page_id94

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RSS Subscribing to a Web Site

• Stands for either Rich Site Summary or Really
  Simple Syndication
• Method for managing and disseminating regularly
  updated content in the form of feeds containing
  posts

• Instead of viewing the posts by going to a web
  site, like a blog, posts are pushed to you via
  the RSS feed
• Using an RSS aggregator, you can sign up for as
  many feeds as you want and get all your news in
  one place

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Spotting an RSS Feed
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Blog with an RSS Feed
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Non-blog with an RSS Feed
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Getting and Reading RSS Feeds

• Get an RSS aggregator/reader
• Web-based vs. Software Software might be faster,
  but will be a nuisance if you read RSS feeds in
  more than one location.
• Nice list of RSS readers http//blogspace.com/rss
  /readers

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On to Bloglines
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Things Libraries Are Doing with RSS

• Things You Can Do With RSShttp//timyang.com/wiki
  /doku.php?idliststhingsyoucandowithrss
• RSS in Libraries Archive http//www.blogwithoutali
  brary.net/?cat19
• RSS4LIB blog http//blogs.fletcher.tufts.edu/rss4l
  ib/

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Future of RSS in Libraries

• ILS vendors are working on providing RSS feeds
  via the catalog so that patrons can receive lists
  of new books and other materials
• Database vendors are starting to provide RSS
  feeds for new journal articles. Eventually,
  patrons should be able to subscribe to a topic, a
  search or specific journal titles in a database.
• Library web sites can display local feeds
  library feeds can be displayed on local web sites

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Reading about RSS

• Welcome to the New Web, Same as the Old Web
  http//www.cnn.com/2004/TECH/03/15/new.web/index.h
  tml
• Blogging and RSS - The Whats IT? and How To
  of Powerful New Web Tools for Educators
  http//www.infotoday.com/MMSchools/jan04/richardso
  n.shtml
• Aggregators Attack Info Overload
  http//www.wired.com/news/infostructure/0,1377,600
  53,00.html
• RSS The Next Big Thing Online http//www.mediathi
  nk.com/rss/mediathink_rss_white_paper.pdf