Thing 3. Twitter and RSS

This week we’ll explore a few tools that will help you to keep up-to-date and aware of goings on in the library and information world. The two tools we’ll be looking at are Twitter and RSS feeds.

ACTIVITY

  1. Join Twitter.
  2. Tweet something (remembering to include the  #ylstf  hashtag).
  3. Try following a couple of  twitter accounts (you could choose one of those mentioned below).
  4. If time, add the Twitter widget to your blog.
  5. Setup an RSS feed reader.
  6. Subscribe to some feeds.
  7. Monitor your reader over the next few days.
  8. Write a blog post about using Twitter/RSS feeds.
  9. Continue to read and comment on each other’s blog posts.

TWITTER

Twitter is a micro-blogging service that allows you to publish short updates of up to 140 characters. Users follow other users by subscribing to each other’s updates. All the updates from the users you follow will be aggregated into one timeline that appears when you log in to the site. For the uninitiated, Mashable’s The Beginner’s Guide to Twitter offers a good introduction.

If you already have an account, skip this paragraph. If you don’t already use Twitter, follow the steps below to create your account and begin tweeting:

How to join Twitter

      1. Go to Twitter www.twitter.com
      2. Click “Sign up” and complete the registration form. Activate your account by clicking on the confirmation link sent to your email address.
      3. Once confirmed, you will be taken to the “Getting started” page.
      4. Follow the prompts to create your profile – include a short biography. We recommend that you leave the Twitter Privacy box unchecked because this means other participants can read your tweets. This can always be changed later on.
      5. Post your first update. Perhaps write something about your participation in this program. You are restricted to 140 characters, and as you type you will see the number at the bottom right of the box decrease. Leave enough characters to add #ylstf at the end. This is known as a hashtag and allows Twitter users to group tweets by subject. By adding #ylstf to your tweet your comment will be picked up by other participants. Once you click “Update” anyone who follows you will be able to see your tweet.
      6. Follow Yarra Libraries on Twitter. This link will take you to the Yarra Libraries Twitter stream. To follow our updates, sign in to Twitter and click “Follow”.
      7. If time, try to add the Twitter widget to your blog. You will find instructions for how to add Twitter to WordPress here and instructions for how to add Twitter to Blogger here.

Who to follow

Take a look at the following people, organisations and lists. If you already follow a particular Twitter handle, share it with your colleagues!

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RSS FEEDS

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RSS (Really Simple Syndication) allows you to view new content from websites and blogs in one place – eliminating the need to visit individual sites. All the news now comes to you.

The first step you need to take when subscribing to RSS feeds is to sign up for a feed reader. If you have a gmail address, try GoogleReader (feel free to use a different reader if you wish).

How to subscribe to a feed

      1. Sign in to your Google account.
      2. From the toolbar select “More”. A drop-down menu will appear, click “Reader”.
      3. Open a new Tab and go to Early Word : The Publisher/Librarian Connection.
      4. Subscribe to the feed by clicking on the orange RSS button in the upper right-hand corner.
      5. Click “Subscribe with Google”.
      6. Now click “Add to Google Reader”.
      7. A list posts will appear. You have now subscribed to this feed.

From now on, whenever something new is posted it will go straight to your Reader, eliminating the need to constantly check the site. You can subscribe to other blogs and news sites in a similar way, even if they don’t have a subscribe button embedded in their site, it may be hidden behind the symbol which indicates social networking tools. If you are using Firefox  the RSS symbol may be in the bookmarks menu. It may be worth looking around the site first for a symbol as not all websites put them in the same place.

TIP : Try to subcribe to your colleague’s blogs by using RSS feeds. This way you won’t have to check the Participant blog page all the time. Each time they publish a new post, you will be notified of this in your reader.

Below you will find some RSS feed suggestions for keeping abreast of library news and trends (again, explore for yourself, follow your interests).