RSS

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RSS

• Don Westover
• Director of Instructional Design
• Mount Wachusett Community College

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What does RSS stand for?

• Really Simple Syndication

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RSS Defined

• A family of Web feed formats used to publish
  frequently updated content such as blog entries,
  news headlines or podcasts. An RSS document,
  which is called a "feed," "web feed," or
  "channel," contains either a summary of content
  from an associated web site or the full text.

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Web Feed Defined

• A data format used for providing users with
  frequently updated content. Content distributors
  syndicate a web feed, thereby allowing users to
  subscribe to it. Making a collection of web feeds
  accessible in one spot is known as aggregation,
  which is performed by an Internet aggregator. A
  web feed is also sometimes referred to as a
  syndicated feed.

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Indecipherable Tech-Talk?
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The Story
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The Players

• Me (Don) - the user
• You - the users favorite blog/website
• Paper ball - new content

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The Players

• Me (Don) - the user
• You - the users favorite blog/website
• Paper ball - new content
• Basket - RSS Aggregator/Reader

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Get Updates on New Content
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Podcasts
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The Process Simplified
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Pick Your RSS Reader

• Lots of options!

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Portal-based RSS Reader

• Use a portal to read RSS feeds if
• You are already using the portal.
• You want to read just a few RSS feeds.
• You want an easy way to subscribe to your own
  feed.
• Do not use a portal for a large number of RSS
  feeds.
• Examples
• My Yahoo
• My MSN
• Pageflakes

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Browser-based RSS Reader

• Use a browser-based RSS feed reader if
• You access your RSS feeds from one computer.
• You only want to subscribe to a few RSS feeds.
• Do not use a browser for a large number of RSS
  feeds.
• Example
• Firefox

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Desktop-based RSS Reader

• Use a desktop RSS feed reader if
• You access your RSS feeds from one computer.
• You like to download your RSS feeds to read
  later.
• Examples
• Feed Demon - for Windows.
• SharpReader - for Windows.
• NetNewsWire - for the Mac OS X.
• Straw - for Linux.

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Outlook-based RSS Reader

• Use an Outlook if
• You use Outlook extensively.
• You want a universal inbox for email and RSS
  feeds.
• You like to option to download your RSS feeds to
  read later.

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Web-based RSS Reader

• Use a web-based RSS feed reader if
• You access your RSS feeds from different
  computers.
• You prefer to work on web-based systems.
• Examples
• Google Reader
• Bloglines

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Search for RSS Feeds

• More options!

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Personal Web Surfing

• I think the best approach is just to build
  slowly.
• Subscribe to RSS feeds when you surf a website or
  blog that is interesting.
• If you surf with Firefox, watch for the orange
  icon to the right of the address box that shows
  you a website has a feed.
• Try one of the services that report on current
  blogs.

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Search Engines

• MSN Search Engine
• Feed Example feed library instruction Will
  return any RSS feed files that contains the query
  terms library instruction".
• Hasfeed Example hasfeed library instruction
  Will return any website or blog that contains
  the query term library instruction" and has an
  associated RSS feed file
• Yahoo Search Engine
• Advanced Search gt File Format gt RSS/XML
• Blog Search Engines
• Technorati
• IceRocket
• Bloglines

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Directory of Feeds

• Directories are organized lists of RSS Feeds,
  websites, or blogs.
• There are numerous directories on the internet.
• Websites, Blogs, RSS Feeds.
• Created manually or programmatically. 
• Organized by specific topic or general purpose.
• Personal directory.
• Your IE Favorites or Firefox Bookmarks.
• If one keeps an organized list of favorites and
  organizes that list into meaningful folders, then
  that is a Directory.

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Subscribe to RSS Feeds

• Even More options!
• What happened to Chocolate Vanilla?

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Subscribe

• In General
• On a website or blog with a feed
• Find the RSS or XML button.
• Right click copy link location.
• Paste the URL into your RSS feed reader.
• OR
• Find the button for your particular RSS Reader.
• Click follow instructions.
• Follow Instructions!!!
• Each RSS feed reader/aggregator is different.

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RSS Subscription Buttons
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Next Steps?

• Create your own feeds to deliver information to
  your patrons.
• Partial content Teaser.
• Gets them to return to your website or blog
• Full Content
• Add other RSS feeds to your website.

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Library Related Uses

• Updated Website Content
• Topic Specific Content
• Library Blogs
• Announcements
• Library Resources/Materials
• Books
• New Acquisitions/Titles
• Top 10 lists by category

• Portals
• Provide a list of feeds, directory
• Incorporate other feeds into website
• Catalog Search Results
• Journals
• Items out/hold lists

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Get Creative!
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Contact Info

• Don Westover
• Director of Instructional Design
• Rm 344
• Mount Wachusett Community College
• 978.630.9487
• dwestover_at_mwcc.mass.edu
• Center for Teaching Learning
• www.ctlmwcc.com