What is Really Simple Syndication or RSS?
With all the Web sites, blogs, and other content on the Internet, how can you keep up-to-date with the latest information on areas of interest without re-visiting links constantly? Really Simple Syndication is the answer.

RSS provides for an aggregator (sometimes called a news reader or a notifier) to present the latest additions on a variety of Web sites or blogs all in one place. For example, if you would like entertainment, sports and news items from three different sites and also to be kept current on the latest entries on five blogs, provide the relevant URLs to the aggregator and it will let you know when new items appear on those sites.

How do you know if an RSS is available?
Blogs, podcasts, and many other Web pages will often include an indication — usually a graphic — that the page has an RSS feed available. This graphic looks like this or, if a podcast, like this . Some browsers will identify Web pages with RSS feeds automatically.

What do you need to have?
You need an aggregator. This software (often free) can bring together, or "aggregate," the feeds that you have chosen. These feeds may be from news, blogs, or a variety of other types of Web pages.

How do you add a feed to your aggregator?
The software you choose will provide its unique instructions but often it's just a matter of entering the appropriate URL (usually it will end in either .xml or .rss) into the aggregator's Subscribe text box.

What RSS feeds does the library offer?
Events
News Releases
Information Files
Podcasts: Booktalks for kids, Booktalks for teens, and BookCast, author interviews with library Director Sam Clay.

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