We at the HEATH Resource Center strive to make our website current with information and resources readily available for you. HEATH now provides immediate access to all our updated content and information published by offering you the added option of subscribing to our web site’s RSS feeds. To subscribe to HEATH’s feed updates just click on the bright orange button located on our pages.

What is RSS?
RSS is a family of web feed formats used to publish frequently updated digital content, such as blogs, news feeds or podcasts. The initials "RSS" are variously used to refer to the following standards:
Really Simple Syndication (RSS 2.0),
Rich Site Summary (RSS 0.91, RSS 1.0), or may also be called
RDF Site Summary (RSS 0.9 and 1.0)

Simply, it is a labor-saving tool that allows you to tune into our information resources by “subscribing” to our website. Before, when subscribing to our quarterly newsletter via email, you signed up, hoped the spam filters didn’t block some or all our issues, and then read the newsletter in your email program. Now, with our RSS FEED, you have the option of subscribing via a web page. With just click on the bright orange button located on the bottom of our web pages you direct the HEATH website to automatically send you our updated information. You can find our bright orange RSS symbols (or text links) in your browser window, on the sides of the website page, or on the bottom of the pages.
Where Do I Read HEATH’s Updates?
Once subscribed, our information is automatically sent to your RSS list (called an RSS Reader). The pages you select may be saved within your website favorites files or within within your RSS Feed Reader. There all the headlines from HEATH and any other websites and blogs you have subscribed to are gathered. Rather than receiving email, you receive just a list of our headlines and a few lines of opening text, just enough so you can decide if you are interested or not. If the headline looks interesting to you, all you have to do is click on the link and the whole article is sent to your RSS reader.

We realize there are different operating systems (Mac vs. PC), and a plethora of different browsers like Internet Explorer, AOL, Safari, and Firefox. Because of that, your RSS reader will be dependent on what browser you like to use, and how accessible you’d like your RSS
list(s) to be.

Popular RSS readers (many FREE) that are accessible from any computer or mobile device you may have like a PDA, laptop, or cell phone, include:
MyYahoo
MyMSN
MyAOL
MyGoogle
Bloglines [1]
FeedDemon [2](this one costs money)
NewsGator [3] (there is a cost for mobile accessibility)
NetVibes [4]
PageFlakes [5]
Shrook [6](For Mac users. Free trial and then there's a cost.)
Lektora [7]
Attensa [8](more for enterprise, and there's a cost)

If you require an accessible RSS Feed Reader try: http://www.webbie.org.uk/accessiblerss/index.htm [9]

When you go to your favorite RSS Reader look for a link that reads, “Add RSS” and add our URL (www.heath.gwu.edu). Now, where ever you go, your RSS Reader will let you see when the HEATH feed has been updated. In fact some sites indicate how recently we made the update. For example Yahoo! tells you how many hours or days ago the feed was updated while in Bloglines the feed name will appear in bold, and a number after the name tells you how many items within the feed have been updated since you last checked.

Need a Little More Help?
To learn more about RSS visit our home page and to see our announcement. You may also learn more about RSS by visiting these links:
What is RSS and what are web feeds? A beginners guide
What Is RSS? RSS Explained
RSS For Rookies [10]
RSS: From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia [11]
Common Craft Show Video Training: RSS in Plain English [12]