OLJ Task: Find two additional examples pf ‘RSS in action’, and develop a post on how RSS can enhance a library or information service’s ability to meet the information needs of its users.
RSS feeds market libraries by the feed being directly sent to patrons who have actively signed up to it. As an opt-in service it is an efficient method for the library to get the information out to the public in a simple way. If the library has blogs or podcasts that are targeted towards particular patron groups, RSS feeds can link them directly to the information the patron is interested in.
RSS has the ability to enhance a library or information service in many ways. It can help keep librarians informed and on trend, as a form of professional development (Breedling, 2009, p.30). Many libraries, librarians and information experts blog. RSS feeds can aid the professional to deal with the vast amounts of new information available on a daily basis (Holzner, 2006, p.xiii). By signing up to the sites or topics that one is most interested in, it saves the librarian time in information retrieval.
RSS active blogs such as Nicole Engard’s ‘What I learned today…’ (http://www.web2learning.net/) are an effective tool for sharing information peer-to-peer. Networking in this way allows information to flow across libraries and across boarders, aiding in the dissemination of new ideas and technology. A more informed librarian might lead to more informed patrons.
RSS feeds are also a form of “micromarketing” (Circle, 2009, p.28), or niche marketing (appealing to smaller audiences) opening up a different form of communication with patrons who want to know what the library has to say, and what information it offers. It can help librarians by deliberately filtering the information that is of most interest to the user (whether it be the librarians themselves, or patrons). Instead of sifting through many databases, searches can be set up with feeds to notify if an appropriate article is available. Such tools are time effective, and can lead to more efficient methods of information discovery.
For example, the Parliamentary Library (http://www.aph.gov.au/library/rssinfo.htm) offers RSS feeds on many documents. It is easy to see how useful such a tool may be for departmental staffers, media researchers and politicians themselves in keeping track of events that occur. It makes for a very efficient tool, being able to access up-to-date information and get it sent to you as soon as it becomes available. This example in particular highlights the creation of an RSS feed that has been created to serve a particular market, and is likely to have a great impact on the market it serves due to its instantaneous nature and ease of use.
References
Breedling, M. (2009). Social networking strategies for professionals. The Systems Librarian, October, 29-31. Retrieved from www.infotoday.com.
Circle, A. (2009). Marketing trends to watch. Library Journal, 1 October. Retrieved from http://www.libraryjournal.com/article/CA6698259.html.
Holzner, S. (2006). Secrets of RSS. Retrieved from Safari Books Online.
Parliamentary Library. (2008). RSS Feeds. Retrieved 18 April from http://www.aph.gov.au/library/rssinfo.htm.
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