What Is RSS?

RSS stands for "Really Simple Syndication" and is used to syndicate content from a web site or web blog. Using RSS feeds will help you by keeping you up to date on whatever feeds you subscribe to.

You can read RSS feeds with an application called an RSS reader. A reader automatically checks for updates and displays them for you. You can download and install stand-alone software as your RSS reader. Many readers are free, such as RSS Reader. You can also use a free web-based reader such as Bloglines.

Not every web site has an RSS feed, but more feeds are appearing all the time. Web sites with feeds usually mark them with orange RSS feed buttons like this or this or even this (and other variations!).

Note: Some feeds actually use a related technology known as atom, another way to syndicate content. You may see an icon like this:

Most news readers allow you to subscribe by copying the link from your browser and pasting it into the news reader. Some news readers automatically detect the feed when you click on the link. Consult your reader's documentation on how to subscribe to news feeds.

Would you like to know when new items arrive at the Crawfordsville District Public Library? Would you like to be kept up to date on the latest library news? Would you like to know what is going on in the Youth Services Department? On the home page (and on other pages, too!), you can subscribe to an RSS feed. Look for an RSS feed icon.

To subscribe:

• If you have a Windows-based RSS news reader such as RSSReader, simply click the orange RSS feed icon and then click the Add button on RSSReader to start the process.
• If you have a Web-based RSS news reader such as Bloglines, click the orange RSS feed icon. A page of code appears. With the code page displayed, copy the URL from the browser address bar and paste it into the appropriate field (Blog or Feed URL) on the set-up page.

The new item information from our catalog is updated hourly! The library blogs are updated as often as necessary.

QUESTION: Do I absolutely have to use an RSS Reader to read the blogs?
No, you do not! You can always click the link of one of our blogs to read the blog itself . . . but remember that you have to keep checking to see if there is any new content posted.