News and Information
NSDL News and Information services inform the NSDL Community of resources and events of interest; improve communications with groups interested in participating in NSDL; keep stakeholders and the public up-to-date about NSDL's activities and capabilities; and, evaluate the impact of activities. To see examples of NSDL news and information in a wide variety of contexts click on a type of communication (at right), and then click on specific example to view.
Success is defined as:
- Increased traffic on the NSDL and Pathways websites; wider distribution of NSDL blogs through placement in search indices and on other sites as RSS; collaborations initiated through contacts made as a result of news reports; and new resources added to the library as a result of news gathering activities.
Facts:
- News and information items are initially posted on Expert Voices. When appropriate, they were also released bi-weekly in a one-paragraph format through NSDL Whiteboard Report, and redistributed on NSDL's homepage and as the weekly "Highlights" exhibit.
- In-depth press press releases announcing major news and accomplishments are released through multiple networks.
- News and event information is regularly solicited from NSDL projects nationwide.
- Six of NSDL's 11 Pathways partners designated staff to make regular posts or provide information to Expert Voices (ChemEdDlib, BEN, CSERD, Engineering Pathway, Teachers Domain, and Middle School Pathway).
- In 2007 three Pathways wrote and posted items to the Expert Voices blogosphere at least once a month:
- The Engineering Pathway was making more than one post a week to the "NSDL Pathways News" blog;
- Middle School Pathway maintained two blogs of its own, "Connecting News With National Science Education Standards" and "Beyond Penguins and Polar Bears;" and,
- The Chemistry Pathway's contributed a monthly column in his own blog, "Chemical Education Digital Library."
- Twenty-two issues of Whiteboard Report were distributed through e-mail listservs and Internet news outlets.
- Twenty-four posts were made to the "Observation Tower" blog to draw attention to news and information and discussions within the NSDL blogosphere.
- Eleven posts were made to the "New in NSDL" blog to draw attention and web traffic to resources that were newly added to the NSDL collection.
- Eleven posts were made to the "NSDL Highlights" blog to to draw attention to newsworthy events and resources.
- The NSDL Annual Report was published and distributed in February of 2007
- A Special Report was released in October 2007
Evaluation:
- How to Improve Search Rankings With Blog Posts [study, part one]
On the horizon:
- Expanding NSDL.org's capability to feature RSS feeds from other sites
- Launching NSDL Whiteboard Report as a biweekly electronic magazine.
- Improving Search Rankings With Blog Posts [study, part two]
Distribute news and information through the NSDL communications network:
- Contact Carol Minton Morris, 607 255-2702.