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Scopus podcast: Using a popular device to reach users
By Brenda F. Green, Associate Professor and Coordinator of Instructional Services, Jasmine Bagay, Computer Information Specialist, and Matt Grayson, Web and IT Services Coordinator, Health Sciences Library, University of Tennessee, Memphis, USA

In 2006, the University of Tennessee Health Sciences Library began developing podcasts to support library orientations and a curriculum-integrated two-part workshop. After the successful launch of the first three podcasts, Instructional Services decided to expand the series to include database orientations.

Scopus was selected as the first database for three reasons:

1. It was the newest addition to the library collection.
2. The database has a “Live Chat” feature connecting to immediate assistance when reference librarians are not available.
3. Compared to other databases in the library’s collection, Scopus was not as widely familiar to campus users as other databases with similar content.

Like most of our library podcasts, the Scopus podcast provides helpful information in five minutes or less. The podcast discusses how to access the database, provides an overview, identifies key features, provides avenues for help and promotes the database through a device that is currently popular with a large segment of the library’s patrons.

The Scopus podcast was created with Apple’s GarageBand and iWeb software programs using screenshots from the Scopus interface and a library-developed audio narration highlighting the unique features of the database. The podcast can be viewed using an iPod or MP3 player, online at the library’s podcast page using Quick Time (freely available for PC and Mac computers), and on desktop computers or laptops using the iTunes software (also freely available for PC and Mac computers).

The library website first made the podcast available on November 17, 2006. Between November 2006 and August 2007, there were 157 visits to the Scopus podcast page and the Scopus podcast itself (the media file) was accessed over 86 times. The latter number is a better indicator of users actually viewing the podcast, though we’ve no way of knowing whether they watched all of it. During the same time frame, the podcast was accessed on average 10 times per month. Given this number, the library considers the podcast to be a valuable tool in promoting Scopus.

[Editor’s note: Jasmine Bagay has since moved to a position with another institution.]

Using RSS to connect with your users
By Kate Sinclair, Senior Liaison Librarian, Flinders University Library, Adelaide, Australia

Web 2.0 technologies offer diverse ways to add value to library services. Librarians and users recognize tools such as blogs and wikis as facilitating communication. However, say “RSS” and you still get blank looks — though RSS is one of the easiest and most seamless ways to connect with your users!

RSS (Rich Site Summary or Really Simple Syndication) is basically a format to deliver updated Web content. With RSS feeds, your news and information don’t need to be static on your website; they can be subscribed to by anyone with an RSS aggregator or displayed on any Web page. In this way, you can target your services and content to where your users are online.

This Flinders University WebCT page offers topic-specific resources delivered via RSS.

In the Flinders University Library, we’ve developed RSS feeds for updated content from our website and library catalog. We have feeds for Library News, New Databases and New Books. The New Books feed is broken into Dewey ranges so patrons can choose to be notified about new books in particular topics. The New Book feed is also customizable so a librarian can define a narrower or wider Dewey range to match a patron’s interests.

In addition, we’re exploring using RSS feeds to deliver topic-specific content to students via our Learning Management System (WebCT). Students working within a particular topic can click on the “Library” link and receive for that topic a list of resources including new books and databases. Students don’t need to be subscribed to an RSS aggregator to read this content; RSS technology enables it to be “pushed” out to the online space where students are.

RSS is also a great way to encourage staff to keep up with professional reading. Library staff can subscribe to feeds from professional blogs and journals and read them anywhere, anytime.

www.lib.flinders.edu.au/new/feeds