What is RSS?
RSS, sometimes known as Really Simple Syndication, is a popular means of sharing regularly updated content (such as news headlines) without requiring readers to constantly visit a Web site to see what's new.
RSS "feeds," or summaries, contain titles, short descriptions, and hyperlinks to longer articles or Web pages, as well as a linked reference back to the main site. Links in RSS feeds are updated automatically when new content is published. This feature makes it a great way to keep informed on blogs, news sites, organizations, and much more that might be of interest to you.
Pages with feeds usually notify you by displaying icons such as
or 
which signal a link to web content that has been formatted for use by an RSS reader. Using an RSS reader or aggregator, you can subscribe to RSS feeds from news-related sources, blogs, databases and other Web sites. Each time a site is updated, changes are sent instantly to your RSS reader.
Where can I learn more about RSS?
The following links provide online resources to help you better understand and use RSS:
FeedBurner - Written for those who are new to RSS, this page provides basic information on what RSS is, who supports it, how you can start using it, and what the future holds for this technology.
Mediathink - Written for the slightly more advanced Internet user, this white paper provides helpful "what," "how," and "why" information, as well as links to popular RSS aggregators.
What software is required to view RSS feeds?
To use RSS, you will need a special RSS news reader or aggregator that will allow you to collect and display the RSS content. Several different news readers are available, many for free. Some RSS readers are applications that you download and install. Others are Web-based services you sign up for that work inside your browser.
The library recommends using Google Reader or Bloglines to manage and organize your favorite feeds. Both are freely available via the Web.
How do I subscribe to an RSS feed?
To subscribe to RSS feeds on the library's pages, simply go to the page you would like to subscribe to and click the RSS icon on the page. Your RSS news reader or aggregator should identify the element and add it to your reader. You may also right-click on the icon, select Copy Shortcut, and then manually paste the link in your reader or aggregator.