RSS Feeds 101

RSS feeds are one of the most useful features to come out of the internet in recent years. Once you start using them, you'll wonder how you ever managed without! RSS feeds save time and effort, and best of all, are easily customizable to filter the exact content that you want.

What is an RSS feed?
RSS stands for Really Simple Syndication, and is used to describe the technology used in creating feeds. A feed, also known as RSS feed, XML feed, syndicated content or web feed, is frequently updated content published by a website. It is usually used for news and blog websites, but can also be used for distributing other types of digital content, including pictures, audio or video.

How do I subscribe to and manage my feeds?
Subscribing to feeds is simple, just as the name implies! While there are a multitude of options for doing so, you can always depend on looking for this little icon: , which is the universal button for RSS feeds. Internet Explorer users can look to the top right of their window to see the button, which turns orange to alert you when a feed is available. In Mozilla Firefox the icon automatically appears in the address bar to the right of the website address whenever there is content to subscribe to on a page. If you are using Firefox you also have the option to download various feed reader add-ons for true customization. Of course, a lot of frequently updated pages will offer their very own to click on. Pssst...for an example of this check our sidebar on the right, where it says Connect & Subscribe. You can also use a stand-alone feed reader that isn't connected to your browser. One of the most popular and user-friendly options is Google Reader. Anyone who already has a Google/Gmail account automatically has access to Google Reader, but don't worry if you don't - creating a Google account is fast and easy and opens the door to a lot of other useful web services!

Why should I use feeds at the SERC Library?
Well, we know you love our blog, so subscribing to updates here will surely be nice, but we think you'll really love subscribing to searches in our catalog. That's right...whenever you conduct a search in Iluminar, you'll notice an RSS feed button appear at the top of the page, which will enable you to subscribe to that search. That means that if you add a feed for the topic "math", whenever we catalog new materials with that subject heading they will automatically be sent to your feed reader. You can do the same thing in our journal databases. You'll still have to come to the Library to access the content itself, but a list of new articles on your topic will be conveniently compiled for you. Now that's helpful!

Still confused? Next time you're in the Library ask for Diana, our RSS Queen, or Megan, our resident tech guru, who will be happy to assist you. Just another friendly service from the gang at the SERC Library!

Check out our newest materials!

The SERC Library has just posted our latest lists of new acquisitions on our website. Follow this link to browse our new materials in handy alphabetical and topical lists. You can then go to Iluminar to find more details on the items and to reserve them. And here's a tip: you can always see our newest materials as soon as they hit the catalog by scrolling down on the front page of Iluminar, where you'll see links to searches for New Books and New Tests. In the meantime, here are a few highlights:

Fasten your seatbelt: A crash course on Down syndrome for brothers and sisters. By Brian G. Skotko and Susan P. Levine, 2009. (YP 616.858842 SKO)




Think college!: Postsecondary education options for students with intellectual disabilities. By Meg Grigal and Debra Hart, 2010. (371.90474 GRI)




Freedom from meltdowns: Dr. Thompson’s solutions for children with autism. By Travis Thompson, 2009. (FAM 618.928588 THO)





Launching RTI comprehension instruction with shared reading: 40 model lessons for intermediate readers. By Nancy N. Boyles, 2009. (IM 372.47 BOY)

National Poetry Month

as the buds peek out
from silken nests of green lace
the poet awakes

swirling through the stream
baby fish jump rainbows, while
words jump to my page

rhythm and buddha
and a compulsion to dream
bring poets to peace

full of life, April
heralds nothing so sweetly
sung as poetry



Can there be a more appropriate time of year to celebrate words than the lovely month of April? As the gentle hush of spring sweeps in and signs of nature's rebirth abound, we turn to the delectable sounds of syllables, of semantics, of poetry.

For some of the events surrounding this illustrious month, check out Poets.org, the most comprehensive web resource for poetry. There you'll find thousands of poem in an easily searchable database, as well as audio, video, essays and interviews. In honor of National Poetry Month, you can sign up to receive Poem-A-Day e-mails from Poets.org. You'll also find plenty of information about Poem In Your Pocket Day, which is exactly what it sounds like. The idea is to select a favorite poem and carry it with you all day on April 29, 2010. Whether you share it with friends, stage an impromptu reading on a crowded street, or simply peek at it yourself throughout the day, having a poem in your pocket is like having your own little secret treasure, and it can make the world just a little bit lovelier.

And of course, no post would be complete without a list of some of our favorite materials from our own collection. So next time you visit the SERC Library, be sure to check out:


Welcome to the world: A celebration of birth and babies from many cultures, Compiled by Nikki Siegen-Smith (YP 808.819354 SIE)

This gorgeous anthology combines black and white photography of infants with poems by an array of celebrated poets from around the world. From Ireland's Eavan Boland to England's D.H. Lawrence to anonymous authors from New Zealand and Cambodia, this book will awe you, inspire you, and remind you that we are all human and we are all born innocent.


Embracing the sky: Poems beyond disability, by Craig Romkema (811.6 ROM)

Here you will find pieces that encompass everything a good poetry collection should: an intertwining of desolation and appreciation that cleverly come together to reflect on all of the ugliness and beauty found in this world. The author is a young man with cerebral palsy and autism, and this is his way of both highlighting what it's like to live with disabilities and transcending it, by taking us into his mind and dissolving the difference between us.


When the horses ride by: Children in the times of war, Poems by Eloise Greenfield, Illustrations by Jan Spivey Gilchrist (YP 811.54 GRE)

This is another book in which the visuals are as stunning as the written words. The two mediums combine to paint a stark, yet ultimately hopeful, portrait of war and the effect it has on children. Here is a short poem featured in the book:

Voices
I hear their voices
mixing with the sounds of war.
Too much noise, almost
drowning out their words,
drowning out my thoughts.
Almost.


Teaching with fire: Poetry that sustains the courage to teach, Edited by Sam M. Intrator & Megan Scribner (808.81 INT)

The editors of this book have compiled eighty-eight poems and paired each one up with mini-essays by teachers reflecting on how the poem has touched his or her life. Featuring works by such well-known poets as Pablo Neruda, Walt Whitman, Adrienne Rich and Hartford's own Wallace Stevens, as well as a lot of helpful information on how to incorporate poetry into your curriculum, this book is highly recommended for educators and anyone looking for a little inspiration.


The tree is older than you are: A bilingual gathering of poems and stories from Mexico with paintings by Mexican artists, Selected by Naomi Shihab Nye (YP-SP 860.9 NYE)

The poetry contained within this volume speaks of the timelessness of nature and the endurance of the human spirit. This dynamic array of poems includes both the original Spanish and translated English versions, and is ideal for bilingual classrooms and curricula with a multicultural focus.

The SERC Library encourages drive-by poeting in the comments!

National Library Week, April 11th-17th, 2010 - Events at the SERC Library

Fine Forgiveness: The SERC Library will forgive fines on all overdue items returned April 12th-17th that are accompanied by a nonperishable food item. All donations will go to the Amazing Grace food pantry in Middletown. This is a great way to help your community, your library, and yourself!

Free Bag: Staff will be offering guided tours of the Library on Tuesday, April 13th, 2:00 p.m.-2:30 p.m. and Thursday, April 15th, 5:00 p.m.-5:30 p.m. Anyone who receives a library tour during these time periods will receive an awesome eco-friendly SERC Library reusable tote bag to help you carry all those books!

Free Toolkit: The SERC Library, in conjunction with the Connecticut Parent Information & Resource Center (CT PIRC), will be offering free copies of a "Toolkit for Families, Resources to Help Students Succeed in School," from the White House Initiative on Educational Excellence and the U.S. Department of Education.

"How Does the Library Help Our Community Thrive?" Monday, April 12th, 2:00 p.m.-4:00 p.m., SERC Library Community Room

Come to the SERC Library on Monday, April 12th between 2:00 p.m. and 4:00 p.m. to view a selection of new materials on such innovative education topics as digital literacy, technology in instruction, diverse learners, and response to intervention. Library Staff will be on hand to provide tutorials on utilizing Iluminar, our interactive library catalog, as well as to answer any questions you might have about the SERC Library and the services we offer. This event is open to anyone, and we welcome first time visitors! Stop by, have a cookie, and discover one of Connecticut's most valuable education resources!