Web 2.0 meets Research 2.0

Jason A. ClarkHead of Digital Access and Web ServicesMontana State University Libraries

A Look Ahead…• A quick discussion of Web2.0 and its possible

applications to library research • An introduction to the content delivery elements of

RSS, ATOM, and XML• An assessment of what we have learned through

an applied assignment

A Story…"But media is actually a triathlon, it's three different events. People like to consume, but they also like to produce, and they like to SHARE."

Clay Shirky at Web 2.0 Expo San Francisco 2008

Watch the video: http://blip.tv/file/855937/

Read the transcript: http://www.herecomeseverybody.org/2008/04/looking-for-the-mouse.html

A Picture…

Web 2.0 - What is it?• Does it exist?• What does it look like?

 • A shift in the medium...

         http://montana.craigslist.org/     to    http://www.facebook.com/pages/Bozeman-MT/Montana-State-University-Libraries/20683532480

Web 2.0 - Defined?• Not a single technology - series of characteristics• User Participation - Social Web

 • Embedded, "point of need" services

 • Open, standardized data allowing for sharing

Source: AJ Cann, My Personal Learning Environment (PLE) http://www.microbiologybytes.com/tutorials/ple/ple5.html

Background Thoughts• RSS, ATOM, and XML - structured data formats that

carry information and can be reused in many differnet web settings

• Feed standards = standard way to share, read, and aggregate data

 • Using Web 2.0 technology to get library materials into

the research workflow

Content Delivery with XML

• Potential of RSS and Atom• More than text - actual delivery of files• Word docs, .pdfs, sound files, media files...• Building of Widgets and Gadgets

Research 2.0 - Applications  • Tagwatching - Delicious.com    http://feeds.delicious.com/v2/rss/tag/body+piercing?count=15    http://delicious.com/tag/body+piercing

• Keyword monitoring - Worldcat.com  http://spirs.lib.montana.edu/worldcat/ http://www.worldcat.org/ 

• Update monitoring - Wikipedia.com http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=metadata&action=history&feed=rss

 • Research Tools - Widgets and Gadgets http://www.lib.montana.edu/tools/

 • "Beta" - MSU Library Labs http://www.lib.montana.edu/beta/

Class Exercise1. Set up Google Reader account at reader.google.com2. Using examples from preceding slide:

1.Set up alerts by subscribing to the feeds for Delicious tags, Worldcat keywords, and Wikipedia updates

2.Add a widget to your browser3.Add the MSU search gadget to your iGoogle page

Questions?

Getting Started - Feeds• RSS Tutorial for Content Publishers and

Webmastershttp://www.mnot.net/rss/tutorial/

• Desktop Software for creating feedsExtraLabs Feed Editor - http://www.extralabs.net/feed-editor.htmFeedForAll - http://www.feedforall.com/• Tools for displaying feeds

Feed2JS - http://feed2js.org/FeedDigest - http://www.feeddigest.com/ 

Contact InformationJason A. Clark Montana State University LibrariesHead of Digital Access and Web Servicesjaclark@montana.eduwww.jasonclark.info406-994-6801

Source: http://www.flickr.com/photos/cambodia4kidsorg/260004685/