Introduction to RSS
(image courtesy of Wikimedia Commons)
RSS or "really simple syndication," enables web publishers to create web feeds, which link individual readers or other web sites to new content on a site. For sites that you regularly visit, you can keep current by using a reader, such as Google Reader, to track and share new feeds of information. (To find more readers to choose from, search google for rss feed readers).
This page describes how to use HOLLIS RSS feeds for updates on new library acquisitions. RSS readers used by publishers are also described. More wil be forthcoming on other uses of rss feeds for scholars.
RSS and Publisher Sites
Many publishers' are offering readers the opportunity to subscribe to their new releases via RSS feeds on their websites. You'll find links for feeds on their news pages or, increasingly, publishers are creating separate pages of links by subject or so that you may choose new listings for a subset of titles only.
By way of example, Routledge offers three options on its News Feeds page: all content by subject, articles/news by subject and/or upcoming conferences by subject.
Listed below are but a few examples. To find more, search google for rss feeds university presses or rss feeds literature, etc.
RSS and Book Reviews
Sites such as those listed below are also providing RSS feeds for book reviews, arts and culture news:
Create a HOLLIS RSS feed
Using HOLLIS Advanced Search, execute a keyword search, and given the size of the catalog, you will probably wish to limit by date, such as 2011-2011 (for the current year) or, e.g. 2010-2011 (or a range of years), to see more recent acquisitions for a popular topic.
An example:
Keywords anywhere: deconstruction literature
Dates: 2010-2011
◊ Click on search to check results; modify search terms and parameters if needed.
◊Click on 
in the upper right corner of the results screen.
◊ From here, you may select ways to subscirbe:
◊ If you left click on the New items...link, you may choose Google Reader to track new items and place them in folders, or you may choose live bookmarks (explained above), an e-mail option, etc.
RSS and Other Scholarly Sites
Look for RSS feeds on scholarly society and association websites, library sites and scholarly blogs. They are appearing there, gradually! A few examples:
International Comparative Literature Association: RSS Feeds
MIT Libraries: Recent Additions to the Collections
CLCWeb: Comparative Literature and Culture RSS feed