Tune-Up #2: RSS and Feed Readers

DEFINE
Have you heard of RSS? You have probably seen these small funny tags on websites: and . If the hows and whys of RSS are still a mystery to you, you are not alone. The most popular definition of RSS is “Really Simple Syndication” which is a file format for delivering frequently updated information, such as news headlines, blog posts and podcasts over the web. It also helps to think of it as Really Simple Subscription, because you are essentially subscribing to a website and having information delivered to you when it is published.

Think about the websites that you visit everyday. Imagine visiting 5 websites a day. When there is no new information, you have wasted time going to 5 different sites. Now imagine being able to go to only one spot to see the updated information. That one spot is called an aggregator or feed reader. The feed reader manages the RSS feeds of all the websites to which you subscribe. Sounds good, doesn't it?

For another explanation of how RSS works, check out RSS in Plain English from the folks at Common Craft: http://www.commoncraft.com/rss_plain_english

Many feed readers exist and each has its merits, but the "DO" portion of this task will focus on Google Reader since you have signed up with a Google account.

To read more about RSS and feed readers, take a look at this resource:

What is RSS: a more detailed but not overly technical explanation of RSS and aggregators


DISCOVER
Take a look at these libraries that use blogs and RSS feeds to get information to their patrons:

Hennepin County Public Library
Denver Public Library
La Grange Park Public Library
Glenside Public Library


DO
1. We’ve got one more video for you to watch. This tutorial on Google Reader provides a good overview of how our feed reader of choice (at least for this task) works. One word of caution: the tutorial was created in 2005, back when Google Reader was just a baby. It has grown a bit since then, so expect to see a few cosmetic changes.
2. Go to http://reader.google.com/ and sign in with your Google account.
3. It is time to start adding subscriptions! Click “Add Subscription” and enter the URL of a site that offers RSS feed. Add at least 5 subscriptions to your Reader. If you are using Internet Explorer you can subscribe to an RSS feed in Google Reader with a single click. If a website has an RSS feed, you will see this indicator in the address bar. If you click on that indicator, it will take you to a page where you can choose your aggregator. Choose Google Reader as the aggregator to use. Then you will be taken to the Google Reader page for subscribing to that feed.
4. No idea what to subscribe to? Here are some suggestions:
· Tinley Park Public Library’s Technology Tune-Up participants’ blogs. Keep up with your co-workers as they work their way through the Tune-Up. Visit a blog, copy the URL and paste it into the “Add Subscription” field in Google Reader.
· The Loft’s Book Blog. News for teens at TPPL.
· Library Link of the Day. A daily link to an article about libraries.
· Unshelved. A library related comic strip.
· Your favorite news, career, hobby or family websites.

Due to privacy and security issues some blogs require a username and password to access the content. If the site you are interested in requires this you will not be able to subscribe to it. (example: TPPLnews, AskTinley)

5. Once you have at least 5 subscriptions in your Reader, check back periodically to see if there are any new items. Click around in Google Reader and explore a bit of its functionality.

6. Now that you have Reader set up, take a few minutes to post to your blog about your RSS experience so far. Don’t know what to blog about? Think about these questions:
· What do you like about RSS and feed readers?
· How do you think you might be able to use this technology in your work or personal life?
· How can libraries use RSS or take advantage of this technology?
· If you are already using a feed reader, share your experiences with your co-workers. Which one do you use? Do you find it useful?

BONUS CHALLENGE (optional)
Customize your Blogger template to include a feed from one of your favorite sites. HINT: Look for “Add an Element” in your template.

Now you're ready for Tune-Up #3: YouTube and Pandora.