Blogging

1

• Blogging RSS
• An Introduction
• Sophie Brookover
• www.popgoesthelibrary.com
• May 17, 2006

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What Were Doing Today

• Talking learning about blogs. . .
• Creating blogs of our own, using Blogger
  software. . .
• Talking learning about RSS
• Creating Bloglines accounts of our own
• . . .All with a view towards applying this
  technology at your libraries.

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Blogs Defined

• Frequently updated
• Entries in reverse chronological order
• Entries are usually brief, chock full of links
  commentary
• One or more contributors.

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Blogs Defined

• Posts are archived automatically
• Posts and can be categorized and searched
• Each post is saved with a unique URL, or
  permalink.

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Permalinks

• Unique URL for each post.
• Permalinks allow other bloggers to link to the
  specific posts at your blog.

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Permalinks Good

• Reader friendly
• Blogger friendly
• Searcher friendly (thanks to categories)
• Effective archiving
• Better blog marketing

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Permalink Example
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Categories Good

• Easily searchable archives
• Conversational flow
• An organized blog is a happy blog

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Archives by Category
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Archives by Date
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Why Should We Blog?

• As a cure for Best-Kept-Secret-it is
• All the better to serve you with, my dear
• Talk to your users in their language, using their
  technology.
• User-centered libraries popular libraries.

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What Should We Blog?

• Everything!
• Services, events, storytimes, book reviews
• Materials new databases, books, journals
• Library News
• Library Staff accomplishments awards.

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Blogs _at_ Your Library

• Marketing services, collections, programs, and
  more!
• Event Planning no lost e-mail, transparent
  process, searchable by sub-topic.

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Blogs _at_ Your Library

• Collaborative communication less cumbersome
  than a listserv, easier to track conversations
  using categories and comments.
• Provision of news scan link to news stories
  of interest to your users

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Blogs _at_ Your Library

• Blog your intranet
• Individual blogs feeds for staff in different
  departments
• Photo-blog using Hello or Flickr
• Replace or supplement newsletters e-mail
  distribution lists w/blogs.

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Who Can Blog?

• Anyone!

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Who Should Blog?

• Everyone!
• (and they do)

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Some LIS Blogs I Love

• The Shifted Librarian www.theshiftedlibrarian.co
  m
• Library Stuff http//librarystuff.net
• Librarian.net www.librarian.net

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More LIS Blogs I Love

• Blog Without a Library www.blogwithoutalibrary.n
  et
• Librarian in Black http//librarianinblack.typep
  ad.com
• Pop Goes The Library www.popgoesthelibrary.com

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Some Public Library Blogs I Love

• Saint Joseph County (IN) Public Library Lifeline
  http//www.libraryforlife.org
• Marin County (CA) Free Library Blog
  http//marincountyfreelibrary.blogspot.com
• More public library blogs can be found at
  http//www.blogwithoutalibrary.net/links

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School Library Blogs I Love

• Hunterdon Central Library http//central.hcrhs.k1
  2.nj.us/imc/
• Whippany Park Library News http//whippanylibrary
  news.blogspot.com/
• Northfield Mount Hermon School
  http//nmhlibrary.typepad.com/
• More school library blogs http//www.blogwithout
  alibrary.net/links

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Blog Software

• Blogger www.blogger.com/
• WordPress http//wordpress.org/
• Movable Type www.sixapart.com/movabletype/
• Were going to get started with Blogger.

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Using Blogger

• Point your browser to www.blogger.com
• Log in using your username and password.

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Posting

• Blog title field is at the top of the page.
• Posting tab has three sub-tabs Create, Edit
  Posts, and Status. Were in Create.
• Title Headline. Use text only (no links).
• Big White Box heres where you type the text of
  your post. Try a Test post first.

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Test Post

• Play around with font size using the drop-down
  menu above the Post box.
• When youre satisfied with the post, click the
  Publish Post button.
• Comments yay or nay? Im not going to allow
  comments to this post.

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Viewing The Blog

• Always view your blog in a new window its
  easier than keeping track of what window youre
  publishing from.
• Close the new window when youre done looking at
  the blog its new post.

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The Other Tabs

• And were back to the Status page.
• From here, you can create new posts, edit the one
  you just wrote, change settings or template.
• Lets start with changing some settings -- click
  the Settings tab.

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Settings Tab

• Eight sub-tabs Basic, Publishing, Formatting,
  Comments, Archiving, Site Feed, Email, and
  Members.
• Start with Basic. Youll see the title of your
  blog in the Title field, at the top.

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Settings Tab

• Write a brief description for your blog.
• Public listings if you dont want your blog to
  be listed in your profile, select No. (The blog
  will still be on the Internet, but readers would
  have to find it via a link from you, or via a
  search-engine.)

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Settings Tab

• Confirmation message should be visible on next
  page.
• No other changes? Click the navy blue Republish
  button to see them in your blog.
• More changes? Move on to the Formatting sub-tab!
  

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Formatting

• Change headings time stamps of posts. Make the
  selections that make the most sense to you.
• Time Zone change the timestamp to reflect EST.
• Click the orange Save Settings button. You
  should now see a Settings Saved confirmation
  page.
• Click Comments sub-tab.

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Comments

• Comments can be disabled or enabled on a
  post-by-post basis.
• You can control who can post comments by changing
  your options in the Who Can Comment? field.

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Comments

• You may eliminate comments altogether by setting
  the Default for Posts to New Posts Do Not Have
  Comments.
• Scroll down to view the other options on this
  page.

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Comments

• Comment Notification Address field instant,
  e-mailed notification of comments to posts.
• When finished, click Save Settings, and you
  should once again see a confirmation message.
• Click the Archiving sub-tab.

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Archiving

• Change your archive frequency, if desired
  (monthly is standard).
• Enable Post Pages function creates a unique web
  page for each post, so others can link directly
  to a post of interest leave this on its default
  setting.
• When youre done, click Save Settings, then Site
  Feed sub-tab.

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Site Feed

• Site Feed allows perusal of your blog using a
  news aggregator, such as Bloglines or Feedster.
• If you dont want to give potential readers
  access to your blog via a news aggregator, select
  NO under Publish Site Feed.
• When youre done, click Save Settings, then click
  the E-mail sub-tab.

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E-mail

• BlogSend field instant blogging updates for one
  lucky reader!
• Mail-to-Blogger function allows you to post to
  your blog from any of your e-mail accounts, by
  sending your post to the e-mail address you
  choose below. Guard this address the way you
  would a PIN.
• Click Save Settings when done, then click Members
  sub-tab.

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Members

• Team Members only you, for now.
• You are the Administrator, so you (and only you)
  are empowered to make the kinds of settings
  template changes weve been making.
• Click Add Team Member(s) to see the next page.

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Members

• Invite other contributors Enter e-mail
  addresses (one per field)
• Invitees will receive an automated e-mail
  invitation message from Blogger.
• The invitation e-mail is on the next slide.

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Members

• Its pretty standard boilerplate, and all
  instructions are included in the e-mail.
• When youre done with this sub-tab, click Save
  Settings.
• Click the Posting tab, and then click the Status
  sub-tab.

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Status

• Click Republish Entire Blog to see settings
  changes take effect.

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Publish Status

• You should see the friendly confirmation message.
  
• Click the In A New Window link to see your blog
  in a new window.

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Viewing The Changes

• Some settings changes will not be visible to site
  visitors.
• Some, like the Date Timestamp or Comments
  enabling or disabling, will be visible.
• Close this window when youre done admiring your
  handiwork.

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Test Drive New Settings

• Create a new post.
• Use some of the formatting tools available in the
  toolbar above the post field.
• Most of these tools should be recognizable to you
  from using MS Word.
• Click Publish when youre done.

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Inserting Hyperlinks

• Have at least two Internet Explorer windows open,
  and point the second one to the site you wish to
  link to.
• Select and copy the URL of the site.
• Type your linking text, such as The New York
  Times. Select the linking text.
• Click the Hyperlink button, than paste the URL
  into the dialog box and click OK.

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Enumerated Lists

• Press Enter, to start a new line.
• Click the Numbered List button above the Big
  White Box to begin.
• Type your list of items.
• When youre done, press Enter twice to stop the
  list.

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Publish Post!

• When youre done with your post, click the
  Publish button.
• Remember to view your blog in a new window, as
  shown in the next slide.

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Viewing the Post

• And heres my post!
• To link to this specific post, scroll down see
  how the time stamp is a highlighted hyperlink?
• Click it!

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Permalinks

• The post is now shown in isolation, as a
  permalink (or individual URL).
• Permalinks allow other bloggers to link to the
  specific posts at your own blog.

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Blog, Blog, Blog

• Take 10-15 minutes to write more posts at your
  blog.
• Test formatting options.
• Read, and then blog the suggested links (on
  separate handout).
• Step outside your comfort zone Im here to
  help, and if you hate a post you can edit or
  delete it later.

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• Break Time!
• Take 10 minutes
• to stretch your legs

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RSS The Glue of Web 2.0

• Web sites (especially blogs) in isolation well,
  isolated.
• Blogs RSS The highly interconnected
  Blogosphere!
• Web 2.0 the Webs transformation into a
  collaborative, desktop application-like
  workspace.

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RSS What The Heck Is It?

• RSS stands for
• Rich Site Summary, or
• RDF Site Summary, or
• Really Simple Syndication.

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RSS What The Heck Is It?

• RSS files (which are also called RSS feeds or
  channels) simply contain a list of items.
  Usually, each item contains a title, summary, and
  a link to a URL (e.g. a web page).
• --Fagan Finder All About RSS
• http//www.faganfinder.com/search/rss.shtml

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RSS What The Heck Is It?

• All of the information,
• none of the formatting.

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RSS A Visual Approach
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RSS How Do I Use It?

• As an end-user, via an aggregator
• As a provider of RSS feeds

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Aggre-what?

• An aggregator is a piece of software
• Desktop-based (accessible on your computer)
• Web-based (accessible from anywhere)
• An aggregator lets you subscribe to RSS feeds
  from sites of interest.
• The aggregator updates your subscriptions hourly
  (or more frequently).

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Feed Readers

• Use feed readers to subscribe to RSS feeds from
  blogs other sites of interest.
• Subscriptions are updated hourly.

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Feed Readers

• Desktop-based (accessible on your computer)
• www.newsgator.com (Windows)
• http//ranchero.com/netnewswire/ (Mac)
• Web-based (accessible from anywhere)
• http//allrss.com/rssreaderswebbased.html

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Feed Readers

• Content from your sites of choice is syndicated
  (i.e., collected) into one easy location.
• You save time, clicks, memory.

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Using Bloglines

• Point your browsers to www.bloglines.com and log
  in.
• Click the My Feeds tab, in the upper right-hand
  corner of the screen.

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Adding Feeds

• Feeds Subscriptions Syndications
• Click Add, just under the My Feeds tab.

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Adding Feeds

• Type the following into the Blog or Feed URL
  field
• http//www.popgoesthelibrary.com
• Click the Subscribe button.

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Adding Feeds

• There are two feeds available for Pop Goes The
  Library.
• Click Preview This Feed to see what they look
  like.

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Adding Feeds

• Previewing a feed gives you lots of information
• The blogs name
• How many subscribers the feed has
• A link to related feeds
• Recent blog posts, in either full-text or
  abbreviated format.

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Adding Feeds

• Click Subscribe, located in the upper right-hand
  side of the page.

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Adding Feeds

• Youll be offered some choices on the next
  screen
• What folder do you want the feed to reside in
• How do you want new items or posts to display
• How do you want items to be displayed
• Do you want this subscription to be visible to
  others.

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Adding Feeds

• Select New Folder from the Folder drop-down menu.
• Type Pop Culture in the pop up dialogue box, then
  click the OK button.

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Adding Feeds

• You should now see Pop Culture as one of your
  folders.
• Change Display Preferences to Complete Entries.
• Change Access to Private or leave it Public
  whatever you like.
• When youre done, click Subscribe.

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Feed Added!

• Click the sign next to the Pop Culture folder
  to see what feeds are filed there.
• Click Pop Goes The Library to read the latest
  posts.

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Reading the Feed

• Youll see the feed once more in the right-hand
  pane, just as when you previewed it before
  subscribing.
• Note that in the left-hand pane, the link to this
  feed is no longer highlighted in bold, because
  youve read (or are reading) it.

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Adding More Feeds

• Lets practice adding more feeds, and more
  sub-folders to your account.
• The more you customize your Bloglines account,
  the more likely you are to make the best use of
  it.
• Click Add again.

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Adding More Feeds

• Type www.librarystuff.net into the Blog or Feed
  URL field.
• Click Subscribe.
• Wow! Three potential feeds to choose from.
• Preview them all if you like, or just susbcribe
  to one at random.

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Adding More Feeds

• Im choosing the first feed, which is in RDF
  format.
• Tick the Subscribe to This Feed box under the
  feed description.
• Make your subscription selections below, creating
  a new folder called LIS blogs.
• Click the Subscribe button.

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Adding More Feeds

• Your left-hand pane should look like mine, with
  the new LIS blogs folder highlighted.

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Reading New Feeds

• The number in parentheses next to each folder
  indicates the number of new posts to read in each
  folder.
• Each blog will display the number of new posts
  per blog in parentheses next to it.
• If the feed isnt highlighted and theres no
  number in parentheses, the feed hasnt been
  updated since your last visit.

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Adding More Feeds

• Add the following feeds the same way as before
• www.librarian.net
• http//lishost.org/sjcpl/
• http//nmhlibrary.typepad.com
• Add new folders, such as Public Library Blogs and
  School Library Blogs.
• Your left-hand pane should look like this

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Add Feeds Another Method

• Scroll down to the bottom of the left-hand pane.
• Click Easy Subscribe Bookmarklet.
• Follow the instructions that apply to the browser
  youre using.
• Repeat these steps in your home work browsers.

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Play With Your Food Er, Feeds

• Classmates feeds
• Check out what other libraries are doing
  www.blogwithoutalibrary.net/links
• Create folders for your areas of interest
  reference, marketing, technology, news, schools,
  etc.

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Play With Your Food er, Feeds

• Take 10-15 minutes to add read different feeds.
  
• Make your feeds public or private on a
  feed-by-feed basis.
• Save posts of interest for later
• If you read a really great post, blog it!

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Does My Favorite Site Have Feeds?

• Yes, if you see any of the following
• Syndicate this site!

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Serious Feed Sites

• The New York Times http//www.nytimes.com/servic
  es/xml/rss/index.html
• Christian Science Monitor http//www.csmonitor.c
  om/rss/index.html
• National Public Radio http//www.npr.org/rss/inde
  x.html
• BBC (scroll to the bottom for feeds)
  http//news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/help/rss/default.stm

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Fun Feed Sites

• iTunes feed generator http//www.apple.com/rss/
• Comics http//www.bloglines.com/search?r0qcomi
  cs
• Dave Barry http//weblog.herald.com/column/daveba
  rry/
• Television Without Pity http//www.televisionwit
  houtpity.com/rss.xml

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Other Bloglines Uses

• Subscribe to listservs http//www.blogdriverswalt
  z.com/archive/000668.html
• Create your own blog at bloglines
  http//www.bloglines.com/about/clipblog
• Package Tracking, Weather Forecasts, Local News
  (all available under Add)

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RSS _at_ your library

• The better to serve your patrons
• Instruction/tech info management
• Feeds for your librarys blog, your pathfinders,
  new materials in your OPAC, and so on.
• Allow users to create RSS feeds of all items
  theyve ever checked out
• Display content from other sites (news headlines,
  major book awards info, etc.)
• This would be covered in an advanced RSS class

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RSS _at_ your library

• How can you see your libraries using blogs RSS?
• Suggestions
• Blog your intranet
• RSS feeds for reference, childrens, YA staff
  (these can be private or public to all staff)
• Blog your events including pictures!
• Replace newsletters e-mail distribution lists
  w/blogs

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Blogs RSS _at_ Other Libraries

• St. Charles Seminarys Ryan Memorial Library
• http//www.scs.edu/library/feeds/rss.htm
• Ann Arbor District Library
• www.aadl.org

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Blogs RSS _at_ Other Libraries

• Kansas City Public Library
• http//www.kcpl.org/rss/ (Subject
  guides)
• Kenton County (KY) Public Library
• http//tinyurl.com/lpgbp (feeds)
• http//kcpl.blogspot.com/ (blog)

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Blog RSS Resources

• Blog the Web (a great article!)
  http//tinyurl.com/otzut
• Blogging Libraries Wiki http//tinyurl.com/pvzvp
  
• RSS Toolkit for Libraries http//tinyurl.com/3ul
  vz

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More Blog RSS Resources

• What Is RSS? (California Library Association
  blog)
• http//tinyurl.com/k8rsf
• Bloglines in 3.5 Easy Steps http//tinyurl.com/3
  ll4e
• Teaching RSS To Library Staff http//tinyurl.com/
  s9mjk

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Wrap-Up

• Questions? Ask em!
• Please keep re-use these handouts!
• Please contact me with any questions that may
  arise sophie.brookover_at_gmail.com.
• More questions? Nows the time!
• Thank you!