About RSS
What is RSS
RSS (Really Simple Syndication) is an easy way to keep up with current news and blogs that interest you. RSS at its core is a format for syndicating news, blog posts, or just about anything. Essentially, it is a feed (like a news feed) containing the headlines, summaries, and links to the full text of a site's latest postings.
Or, better put, RSS technology lets you receive the information, "that you want, when and how you want it."
When you see a site with the telltale orange RSS or XML boxes like this one - 
- you know there's a feed to be had.
Why RSS?
Just subscribe to a site's RSS feed and let the info come to you. No more need to work your way through your bookmarks each day -- let RSS bring the info to you. Subscribe to all your favorite news sites, weblogs or podcasts' RSS feeds using a feed reader and check them with one glance.
Our friends at Law Dawg Blawg have created a great series on What RSS Feeds Can Do for You, explaining the myriad uses for RSS and why you might wish to give it a try.
Finding a Feed Reader (aka Aggregator or News Reader)
To get started with RSS you need a feed reader, often called an aggregator for its ability to aggregate disparate feeds into one place. There are a large number of feed readers available. Here are a few of the more popular, with links. Many My Yahoo users are already using RSS and don't know it.
Bloglines
Web-based feed reader that's free, easy and popular. All you need is an internet-connected computer. Being on the web, you can check your feeds on Bloglines from anywhere. Check out these step-by-step instructions for subscribing with Bloglines.
My Yahoo!
An easy way to subscribe to RSS feeds is via My Yahoo!, especially if you already have a Yahoo! mail account. Find out how via Yahoo!'s RSS page.
Google Reader
Google's web-based feed reader. You'll have to first create a Gmail account (free). Or, for a more "My Yahoo!esque" experience, add RSS feeds to your Google Personalized Homepage.
Firefox
The Firefox browser has a built-in RSS reader called Live Bookmarks, along with a number of RSS reader extensions you can add.
Pluck
Free software or web-based feed reader. More of a Windows look and feel.
RSS Feedreader
Nice little open-source application which enables easy adding of feeds with one key.
NetNewsWire
Long the premier feed reader for Mac OS X.
GreatNews
"Optimized for full-page reading." (Because, "You don't tear newspaper into pieces to read them. Why should reading rss news articles be any different?")
NewsGator
Coming soon - NewsGator Inbox: integrates with Microsoft Outlook.
Find more! There are a ton of readers, including plug-ins for Outlook or stand-alone readers. A few sites to find more:
- Download.com RSS Readers (with ratings, popularity)
- Google Directory: RSS News Readers
- RSS Readers Dirctory (choose by platform or type of reader)
- About.com: Lists of Top 10 Best RSS Feed Readers for Windows, Mac and Linux
Subscribe to a Law Library feed
The Law Library provides a number of RSS feeds for your convenience. Here is a quick list of our sites with RSS feeds. Just copy the RSS link attached to the tell-tale rss icon - - and subscribe in your RSS newsreader.
Lewis & Clark Law School Podcasts - listen to the latest law school lectures, symposia speakers and events. iTunes users may wish to subscribe to this iTunes feed 
New Law Titles - subscribe to weekly lists of our latest acquisitions by subject
BoleyBlogs! - our legal information blog
Lewis & Clark Law Reviews: Notices of the latest articles when they're published
Law in the News - the latest headlines
Lawlib Twitter - frequently updated Twitter feed
Library Updates - news and events in the Boley Law Library
Finding Legal Information Feeds - Blogs, Government, Legal Info, etc.
Not only do almost all blogs have feeds, but the number and kinds of RSS feeds available for all kinds of legal information is exploding. Use these sites to find links to government info, legal info, watchlists, commercially-produced info and podcasts, all being made available for easy tracking via RSS feed readers.
U.S. Government RSS Library (FirstGov.gov)
Collects in one place many of the RSS feeds being produced by U.S. Government entities. Also check individual agency sites for RSS feeds which FirstGov.gov may not yet know about.
RSS News Feeds for Law (Virtual Chase)
Excellent collection of news feeds for topics related to law and government. Many are update/notification services from government agencies on specific topics.
Legal Alerts and Current Awareness Services (Virtual Chase)
Current legal news and other update information.
Government Alerts and Current Awareness (Virtual Chase)
Nifty collection of agencies and organizations providing RSS updates.
Blawg Republic
Directory of legal blogs - or 'blawgs' - and their RSS ("xml") feeds by subject. Also acts as live feed reader of sorts via the Blawg Republic home page.
The Law List
Ranks law blogs by popularity. Interesting way to find the latest and hottest blogs.
Blawg.org
Directory of over 1,200 legal blogs in 205 categories.
Law Weblogs Pathfinder (U.Akron Law Library)
Regularly-updated guide to finding legal blogs.
What RSS Can Do for Lawyers (Law.com)
Good, brief article highlighting the variety of RSS services available to the legal community. All examples can also be found in the above links.
