Really Simple Syndication and the Customer Connection in Libraries.

Have you considered how busy your customers are? What would it mean if you could push tailored content to their desktops and let them read information relevant to their current projects? On the flipside many libraries are facing budgetary and staff cuts and having to innovate the way services are delivered to their clients. One way to do this is by using RSS [Really Simple Syndication] alert service to send current awareness updates, table of contents, news paper articles, new items alerts and updated content from websites. Centrally organizing content and pushing it out to via a RSS feed saves you and your clients time by having only one place to publish and read content. Your clients can subscribe to the feed or unsubscribe at any time, they don't have to search for information relevant to current projects and are read using a feed reader thus not spamming their email boxes. This enables your clients to stay up to date with the current information without all the advertising associated with industry newsletters. However, all feeds must be targeting to the correct audience by conducting an information needs analysis first![1]

Some of the more innovative ways RSS feeds are being used is inconjunction with social media. For example you can create an RSS feed for your Pinterest pin board by adding /feed.rss to the end of your Pinterest page URL. This is a most useful way of using RSS as your clients can receive a feed pointing them to the library's new acquitions of the month, interesting items in the collection, event promotional photos and staff profiles. [2] For full instructions on how to add RSS feeds to Pinterest see: Making RSS Feeds for your Pinterest Boards.

Also what about alerting your customers to the fact that they have overdue items or a requested items are available for collection? [3] See: Library Elf RSS Feeds

Or Use RSS to announce emergency opening and closings or changes to opening hours. [4] See: University of Stirlings - Opening hours

These are just a few ways to use RSS in your library or information resource center to enhance services already available. In a world that is so fast paced as ours up to date information is the key currency. Keeping your users informed about topics of interest that affect them will not only enhance their job efficency and ability to respond quickly to current situations but enhances your standing as a provider of quality information services.





 References:
[1] Hart, Laurrie G., [2007], Libraries 2.0: RSS feeds dynamic uses for special libraries. From: www.sla.org/pdfs/sla2007/hartrssfeeds.pdf

[2] Vanum, Ken., [2012], Pinterest via RSS. Retrieved from: http://www.rss4lib.com/2012/03/pinterest/

[3, 4] Ekins, Andy., [2009], RSS use in libraries. Retrieved from: http://cccu-lib-tech.blogspot.com.au/2009/04/rss-use-in-libraries.html