1. Using RSS Feeds and Portals to Disseminate Research Information 2006 SRA Midwest Section Meeting Rick Francis The University of Toledo University Office of Research

2. Why Should a Research Administrator Learn about RSS Feeds? Growing # of RSS Feeds for Research Display frequently-updated content -- without the regular maintenance! Flexible applications: – Your SRO web pages – Portal Channels – Researchers’ News/RSS Aggregators

3. What Will Be Covered Today What is RSS? Examples for Research Administrators RSS Feeds in News Aggregators RSS Feeds on your SRO Web Pages RSS Feeds on Portal Channels Building Your Own RSS Feed (Requirements)

4. What is RSS? RSS = Really Simple Syndication Without going to several sites, you can have updated information from those sites “pushed out” to your web site or newsreader page. The updated information comes to you!

5. Research-Related Examples American Cancer Society News http://www.cancer.org/docroot/NWS/NWS_10_RSS.asp COS Funding News http://research.utoledo.edu/COSRSS.htm US Dept of Education http://www.ed.gov/rss/edgov.xml

6. Typical Use of RSS Feeds: News Readers, Aggregators Individuals Select a News Reader (e.g. NewsGator, MyYahoo or Enabled Browser Configure to taste Example using my.yahoo.com: add pages, find and add RSS feeds Your assignment: configure one!

7. Tools for Locating More RSS Feeds Syndic8 http://www.syndic8.com MyYahoo (“Add Content”) http://my.yahoo.com NewsIsFree http://www.newsisfree.com/sources/bycat/

8. RSS Feeds on Your SRO Web The Ugly Code Behind the RSS URL XML: Another TLA Do not be afraid! Easy tools to display on your web pages: XML parsers! Use tools to generate the code to paste into your HTML pages

9. RSS Feeds on Your Web Portal You can use the same code generated in the last step (if your campus portal does not parse XML) Your web portal may permit targeted content by discipline

10. Using Your Data to Generate an RSS Feed XML file can be generated by a script on an Active Server Page (ASP) Coordination required to get (or establish) account info for connection string to access data, and web folder permissions to execute code and write XML file What: Recent awards; announcements, etc.