Introduction to RSS and RSS Readers

RSS is a standard for distributing and gathering regularly updated Web pages, such as blogs and news feeds.

The acronym “RSS” has multiple meanings:

• Rich Site Summary (RSS 0.91 and 1.0)

• Really Simple Syndication (RSS 2.0)

• RDF Site Summary (RSS 0.9 and 1.0)

RSS allows users of frequently updated sites to know when those sites have been updated without having to actually visit the site. Think of it as your inbox for the Web. RSS also allows you to keep track of newly published articles in your field of research.

To take advantage of RSS feeds, you will need an aggregator or news reader. Aggregators and news readers are available as either stand-alone software applications or web-based services.

Examples of stand-alone software applications:

• FeedForAll

• FeedScout

• RSS Network

• RSS Submit

Examples of web-based services:

Bloglines
Google Reader
My Yahoo

Right click on the “RSS Feed” (,) button and scroll to copy the link location or URL. Open up your aggregator or news reader and right click to paste the link location in the My Feeds or subscription section and click the subscribe button.

Modern browsers allow users to capture RSS feeds. Here are two tutorials for customizing the browser on your personal computer:

• Firefox 2.0

• Internet Explorer 7

Here are two links with information explaining more about RSS or the history of RSS:

• How to Explain RSS the Oprah Way

• Wikipedia RSS (file format)

Please Note: The University at Buffalo does not endorse or recommend any specific RSS readers or stand-alone software applications. Users should select the reader that best meets their individual needs and preferences.

Created by James Gelarden
Edited by sbrower@buffalo.edu|Stewart M. Brower, MLIS, AHIP