Dave Walker at the Cal State San Marcos library announced a preview version of his RSS Creator (version 0.1). A Flash demo of the software is available. Tools like this really open the doors to bring the benefits of RSS to our patrons — without necessarily needing to educate our patrons on what RSS is or how it’s used. Walker writes in Web4Lib:
The system leverages Ex Libris’ SFX and Metalib systems (using Metalib’s
XML-based API) to create the feeds, but the idea behind it is not specific to SFX or Metalib, and could be done with other technology. Here are some of the benefits:
(1) Gives a library instant access to 20,000 to 40,000 or more feeds [by creating] an RSS feed for any journal or newspaper indexed by one of our databases, so long as that database is searchable via
Metalib….
(2) Requires virtually no discovery, collection, or maintenance. All of the information about the journals is already available (and updated) in the SFX knowledge base. A library simply downloads this information out of SFX, uploads it into RSS Creator….
(3) All links point back to SFX
[…]
It is, in other words, a large, free RSS-based table of contents system. I just need to find some time in between more pressing matters to finish it up. But I’m hoping to roll it out to our faculty here this fall.
XML-based API) to create the feeds, but the idea behind it is not specific to SFX or Metalib, and could be done with other technology. Here are some of the benefits:
(1) Gives a library instant access to 20,000 to 40,000 or more feeds [by creating] an RSS feed for any journal or newspaper indexed by one of our databases, so long as that database is searchable via
Metalib….
(2) Requires virtually no discovery, collection, or maintenance. All of the information about the journals is already available (and updated) in the SFX knowledge base. A library simply downloads this information out of SFX, uploads it into RSS Creator….
(3) All links point back to SFX
[…]
It is, in other words, a large, free RSS-based table of contents system. I just need to find some time in between more pressing matters to finish it up. But I’m hoping to roll it out to our faculty here this fall.
[Via the Web4Lib listserv. Original posting.
The RSS naming wars look to be over almost before they started!
Really Simple what?… or is it.. Rich Site something? Hands up those of you who’ve had a bit of evangelism to the uninitiated about the wonders of RSS Feeds thrown off course by a pointless explanation about what the letters…