Elsevier and RSS
Damian Sherman has left a couple of interesting comments on the post at Michael Stephen's Tame The Web that contained my initial notes on RSS for clinicians. I'll repost them here:
With regards to Mr Stephens comment on Elsevier being so far behind on RSS, that is not entirely accurate.
The Elsevier product Scopus offers RSS feeds on all searches (give or take), and Scopus indexes 15,000 peer reviewed journals.
I am a Scopus product manager so not entirely neutral, but we are proud of our features.
Scopus offers feeds on search terms to title and abstract fields and on journal title searches.
Scopus also offers libraries HTML feeds to post the XML to their own website.
Apologies, I should correct my previous comment, "With regards to Mr Stephens comment on Elsevier being so far behind on RSS".
It was David Rothmans who said it, not Michael Stephens. Sorry Michael…
I replied (also at Tame The Web, though not yet approved by Michael Stephens at the time of this writing):
Hi Damian! My library doesn't currently use Scopus, so I can't address that directly.
But my library does have access to several medical journals online through Elsevier. An example is American Heart Journal. Logged in as a user, there's no feed in site/sight at it's current issue table of contents or "home."
Therefore, I stand by my criticism that Elsevier is behind on RSS.
Speaking of Scopus, I'd love to see what its RSS feds are like. Damian, if you'd like to set up a time for that, I'd be pleased to feature its RSS capabilities on my own blog at http://davidrothman.net.
Best,
-David
david.rothman AT gmail DOT com
Just wanted to state that offer again publically on my own blog. Damian, if you would like to show me how well Scopus dishes out the RSS, I'd be pleased to feature it here in a post.
I think librarians should press vendors to deliver a great product. Great products should be praised when they are good. Scopus may be good. The online access for American Heart Journal through Elsevier…not so much.
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July 17th, 2006 at 11:21 am
Elsevier needs to understand that people won’t subscribe to its incredibly expensive journals if they have never heard of the highly expensive journals. RSS feeds spread the word and generate interest and garner subscribers. Elsevier should set up RSS feeds to its tables of contents forthwith. Its secrecy is antiquated and only hurts it as a business.
Many libraries subscribe to many of Elsevier’s incredibly expensive journals but have no money left over for its other incredibly expensive products, like Scopus. How can librarians alert medical providers to interesting publications such as many of Elsevier’s are if they have no RSS feeds? Get with it, Elsevier. Your secrecy is only feeding the open access movement.
July 18th, 2006 at 11:34 am
Hi David
we are more than happy for you to take a look at our product and features, and we are interested to hear what you think of them/ it.
I am setting you up with review access as we speak. Details forthcoming.
Point taken about Elsevier needing to make up some ground in this area.
regards
damien
July 18th, 2006 at 11:56 am
Great! Looking forward to it! Also, my sincere apologies for having previously missppelled your name, Damien.
Folks, expect a look at Scopus RSS in the reasonably near future!
July 18th, 2006 at 1:53 pm
My question is, why isn’t in production now?
July 19th, 2006 at 3:42 pm
[...] Damien was good as his word, and has quickly arranged for me access to Scopus so I can review its RSS features. Expect notes on them here within the next week or so. [...]
July 24th, 2006 at 10:57 pm
[...] At my request, Damien promptly set up temporary access to Scopus so I could check out and review its RSS features here. It is appropriate to again thank Damien for this. This sort of open communication between vendors and libraryfolk serves the interests of both, and his willingness to do this will always positively color my perception of the Scopus team at Elsevier. Marketing, PR, and Sales: Please take note of this. [...]