Blogs and RSS Feeds – What Why and How? Steven M. Cohen Rivkin Radler LLP Library Stuff October 20 st, 2004

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

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…

What? (Examples) Library Stuff ( LISNews ( Resourceshelf ( The Shifted Librarian ( Librarian.net (

How? (Software) Blogger ( Movabletype ( Radio Userland ( WordPress ( Live Journal (

How? (Lets Create one)

How? (Movabletype) Posting to a weblog with MovableType

Which? (Choosing One) $$$ How do you get the software? Automatic archiving? Comments included? Spell check? Free Web Space?

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

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

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

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

Where? (Examples) Waterboro Public Library ( og.htm) og.htm Georgia State University Libraries ( Rosedale Public Library Blogger Book Club ( ervices/BookClub/Bloggerbookclub. htm) ervices/BookClub/Bloggerbookclub. htm

Where? (Examples) Construction Diary ( g.html) g.html University of Minnesota Libraries ( Wisconsin Library Association ( Suburban Library System (

Who? (Marketing) Stand out in the crowd. Ease of use Best way to publish without trade publications (on your own terms) Finding your niche ( 5.html) 5.html Write everyday

Who? (Searching For Weblogs) Searching weblog content. –Feedster ( –Blogdigger ( – Blogstreet – ( –Waypath ( –Daypop (

Who? (LIS Specific) Peter Scotts List ( LISBlogsource – ( ODP Library Weblogs – ( Blog Without a Library - ( links.html) links.html

RSS 101 Content from the Web which is parsed into a file (.xml or.rss or.php) Can only be read with a news aggregator or online parser code (which allows for RSS content to be viewed in html) Cant be read in a browser on its own. Look for the orange button!!!

Examples of Companies that Syndicate Content via RSS Chronicle of Higher Education – Reuters –( New York Times – /index.htmlhttp:// /index.html Christian Science Monitor – mlhttp://search.csmonitor.com/rss/index.ht ml

News Aggregators 101 Software –Client Based –Server Based Subscribe to sites by adding feeds. Different aggregators that do basically the same thing. Saves time Content is syndicated into one place. Look for the Orange Button

Library Stuff

Library Stuff RSS Feed

Library Stuff Raw Feed

News Aggregators Bloglines (Demo) – Net News Wire (Mac) – Newzcrawler – Newsgator (Outlook) –

Web-Based Aggregators – 2 types Inernet-based tool that deliver specific feeds chosen by the creator(s) –LISFeeds – –EDU_RSS - –Weblogs at Harvard –

Web-Based Aggregators – 2 types Internet-based tools that are chosen by the USER. –Bloglines – –MyWireService –My Yahoo!! -

RSS Directories and Search Engines Syndic8 – Blogstreet – Auto Discovery –Built-in to the aggregator –RSS Explorer Toolbar ( News is Free –

RSS Search Engines Feedster – Waypath – Technorati – Blogdigger – mlhttp:// ml Google File type search

Customize your RSS Daypop – –After search find orange button Moreover – local/page?k=librarian&o=rsshttp://p.moreover.com/cgi- local/page?k=librarian&o=rss –Replace librarian with any keywords. Wired News Feedster search

More Customization Yahoo News Search - search-rss.php search-rss.php Hubmed – Pubsub – Topix – Findory – Usenet –

Disadvantages of RSS No filtering by keyword Can become unruly, quickly Not Everything is RSSified Difficult to synchronize aggregator between multiple computers (but...)

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

Other RSS Stuff Bloglet – Get RSS feeds via e- mail –

Thanks Contact: Web Form - AOL IM – NYlibrarian Phone –