Resource Review #4: Following Up with Students using RSS

Cohen, Steven. "The Power of RSS: Instant Information Updating Based on Quality Searches." MultiMedia & Internet@Schools. Medford: Jan/Feb 2008. Vol. 15, Iss. 1; pg. 14

This article lays out a very compelling argument for the many reasons that RSS is useful for librarians. However, it's strongest point comes from RSS's power to keep you updated with information regarding past searches in databases http://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gif-- a follow-up service from librarians to their patrons. Cohen asks "When does the reference interview end? Is it when the student walks out the door? Is it when the library closes? Or when the librarian hangs up the telephone?" Cohen recalls that in his experience as a Reference, and now Law Librarian, the interview ends whenever the question being posed is turned in for submission. So, if a student asks a question for a paper due in 4 weeks, then that is when the reference interview is over.

Cohen suggests that using RSS within databases you have searched for the patron is an easy way to be notified about new entries in the database that fit under your search; providing you with new information for quality follow-up service. He goes on to note some popular databases that have RSS features (PubMed, EBSCO)as well as news sources like the New York Times. There are also noted some search engines that search for keywords in blogs that have RSS capabilities. At www.opencongress.org, "you can use RSS to track news about congressional representatives and current bills, and even get news and blog posts about each bill."

Collection development is an area that I had never heard in relation to RSS until reading this article. Cohen suggests subscribing to RSS feeds from Amazon and LibraryThing in order to stay on top of new books.

I can definitely see that RSS feeds in databases would be helpful for follow-up reference in academic libraries, although in public libraries it could be used, but probably not as heavily. In public libraries it might be more useful as a collection development tool, or keeping up with the news. Overall, Cohen writes with a casual but upbeat style that really encourages librarians to use RSS for all of its' capabilities.