RSS

Activity

Now that you have explored some examples of how libraries and the media make use of RSS to deliver updated information and the applications that can tailor and aggregate feeds for specific users, find two (2) additional examples of 'RSS in action', and develop a 350 word post to your OLJ on how RSS can enhance a library or information service’s ability to meet the information needs of its users.

In the library I currently work in we have a number of uses for the RSS feeds.  Particularly these are used to link the "physical" world to the "virtual" world.  

In the first instance, we have created a number of LibGuides for the International Baccalaureate students who are about to commence research for their Extended Essays.  Each guide has a number of sections, including books, journals, online resources etc.  The books section, makes reference to our physical shelf collection.  Then on our shelves we have created subject specific areas, clearly demarcated with shelf-signage, and on the signage is a QR code which leads back to the LibGuide of that specific subject. Here is a picture of the Development Economics section which leads back to the Development Economics LibGuide.

  

The second area where QR codes are used is to lead students from either a poster or a place-holder on the library shelf back to the library catalogue.  The picture shown is a large (i.e. 1m x 2m) poster which shows some books recommended for Grade 6 reading. The poster may be in the library or in the classroom or the grade corridor.  The QR codes will take the student back to the library catalogue where they can see whether the book is on-hand or out and make a reservation if necessary.  The books on the poster are also place in a separate shelf in the library, where the behind the multiple copies, the same picture and QR code appears, so if the books are all check-out, students can place a hold.

There are other uses as well, for example we have posters of books which have been turned into movies, and the QR code with a picture of the movie poster, will lead to the movie trailer on the one hand, and on the picture of the book to the library catalogue on the other.

How to ...

Today is becoming a "how to" day.  I'm busy creating a template for all the IB introductory guides for various disciplines.

I've created the skeleton and now I'm trying to use it to fill in the first one. I chose psychology as that was part of my undergraduate degree and I still am a keen follower of the field.   I've already done one on Development Economics - but that was a specific field within the Economics discipline.  I'm now wondering if as part of the template I should also include some "how to" on each section.

We've agreed that the pages would be:

* Start here (introduction)
* In the News
* Books and Physical resources
* Journals
* Online Resources
* Institutions and People
* Audio & Visual and social Media

We're trying to decide whether to put the "fields" within the disciplines (or whatever we'd call it) as a separate page linking to the various Libguides or to put that in the introductory page.  For example the discipline Economics has as fields, MacroEconomics, MicroEconomics, Development Economics etc.  Psychology would have Social Psy, Development Psy, Organisational Psy etc.

I've started looking at some Audio and Visual links, and run into the first thing - how to get an iTunes podcast feed onto the Libguide - it's something I did a couple of weeks ago and I've already forgotten and having to look up again.  The trick is to find the RSS or other feed, so I'm thinking in the template to have the standard introduction we use for each section, but then perhaps in another colour have a "how to" or at least link to the best resource on how to do it ...
I'm running into the problem of RSS being used less and less or the feeds being invisible.  Drat.

I found a couple of brilliant resources this afternoon.  This first one is a "how to" add media resources to your guide.  And then I found two seams of gold, first the psychology libguide of  UMass, which had some excellent journal links and then this excellent list by the Social Psychology Network of blogs, podcasts and RSS feeds.

Quite a productive day.