OLJ activity: RSS feeds

The State Library of Victoria has a number of RSS feeds in operation across its web site and catalogue. These RSS feeds perform a number of useful and cost effective functions for the library buy efficiently delivering news and content to interested parties in the broader public. The general public can be kept up to date with current library news and events with two specific RSS feeds set up for these. Journalists and other interested parties can remain informed of current media/Press releases. Job seekers can subscribe to the libraries positions available feed. Those with a more specific interest can subscribe to the arts and genealogy blogs.

Another quite interesting development has been the libraries decision to use RSS feeds to deliver updated catalogue content to clients. This feed allows clients to be kept up to date on new catalogue items that have relevance to their past searches. In this way clients can be kept informed of collection developments that may be most relevant to their needs.

The New York Public library also users a number of RSS feeds to deliver services to the general public. As It is a community public library, special RSS feeds have been established to target specific demographic groups such as children, teens and adults that use this library. To support the uptake of these feeds detailed easy to follow instructions on how to set up specific feeds are provided to clients. The library also maintains a large number of collection promotion specific blogs which can easily be followed via RSS.

University libraries have different uses for RSS feeds. For example the Ohio University libraries have subject specific Blogs that can be followed via RSS. These are maintained by subject librarians. Princeton University also has subject specific blogs with RSS feeds that could be useful for students studying in specific fields and needing the services of specific libraries. This university also has collection development RSS feeds that allow clients to regularly receive updates on new databases resources and catalogue acquisitions.

The above mentioned examples highlight some examples of how RSS feeds are used at this point in a range of libraries. However one of the most comprehensive lists of RSS feeds available from a library would be that provided by the US Library of congress. Given he public demand for services from this national library this is not surprising.