OLJ: RSS

RSS is a way for us to get quick list of the latest information and updates from all our favorite websites and blogs all in one place. To represent this idea, CoLearner: RSS shows it in a simple diagram as below.

Source: CoLearners: RSS

From: http://davidwarlick.com/colearners/?p=73

 “Search illustrated: the power of RSS feeds” demonstrated the difference between with and without RSS feeds. Without RSS, users need to visit the website every time to check for new content while users with RSS, new content published and pushed through RSS and users pull in the information automatically. 

Source: Search illustrated: the power of RSS feeds

From: http://searchengineland.com/search-illustrated-the-power-of-rss-feeds-12084

Stephanie Quilao, makes RSS in a simply way to understand, who translate RSS into “Ready for Some Stories” in “How to explain RSS the Oprah way”. I found that it is a much appropriate translation. Sironi (2011) gives clear indication to RSS:

Ø   RSS is open – no-one ‘owns’ it

Ø   RSS readers provide greater opportunity for recall of information and categorizing of same resources

Ø   RSS feeds can be read later.

RSS can enhance library services to meet users’ needs

I found that the Library of Congress (LC) , the Run Run Shaw Library of City University of Hong Kong (CityU Library), both appear to have sets of RSS feeds to which one can subscribe.

 

As RSS is a format for delivering regularly changing web content. The libraries and information services can utilize RSS in different ways to meet users’ needs. For example, users can receive notification about new library arrival materials, new articles published in e-journals, new events and much more. Like the CityU Library provide a generic link for the collection feeds as a whole but then providing more links to enable user to select a more specific category of collection. Whereas LC RSS Feed and email subscriptions also provide generic links for different categories which can help library professional on updating information in the related issues.

RSS’s main purpose is to keep users abreast of recent changes made to the web content but RSS also greatly supports learning activities. RSS only send relevant information related to students’ desired topics that they subscribed. (De Sarkar, 2012). RSS has an advantage of only provide information of users subscribed to a specific URL, un-like other web resources via email, they may have the chance to receive spam or advertising.

Reference:

De Sarkar, T. (2012). Analyzing RSS applications on library web sites. Library Hi Tech News, 29(5), 4-21.

doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/07419051211262072

Quilao, S., (2006, September 21). How to explain RSS the Oprah way. 

Retrieved from 

http://cravingideas.blogs.com/backinskinnyjeans/2006/09/how_to_explain_.html

Sironi, G., (2011, January 11). Why Twitter is not an RSS replacement. 

Retrieved from http://css.dzone.com/articles/why-twitter-not-rss.

What is Rss? Retrieved from http://www.whatisrss.com/