Web Lab 

Many of the Libraries' resources have RSS feeds available. Below are a few examples.

RSS allows you to receive updates from your favorite web sites, blogs, and even library databases without having to visit the site yourself. RSS is “Really Simple Syndication, a standardized system for the distribution of content, especially news, from an online publisher to Internet users”¹. To get started you need two things:

1. RSS feeds
2. RSS reader

Many web sites offer RSS Feeds to let you know when new content is available. Just look for the RSS icon. Here are some examples:

New York Times RSS Feeds

Smith College Archives Blog

EBSCOHost Database

Now that you have the web sites that you want to keep up-to-date with, you need a Reader to receive the RSS feeds. Most modern browsers can be used as RSS Readers:

• Firefox (instructions)
• Internet Explorer (instructions)
• Safari (instructions)

You can also use RSS Readers such as Google Reader or Bloglines. A RSS Reader often offers features such as the ability to organize feeds with folders and tags.

¹ "RSS abbrev." The Concise Oxford English Dictionary. 12th ed. 2008. Oxford Reference Online. Web. 30 June 2009.