Connect with CADL

Social Networks

If the above logos are foreign to you, fear not! You're not alone. Yes, thousands of people are using social networking sites, but not everyone is. The good news? Social networks are designed to be easy to use, even for relatively new internet users. Social networking is a way for people to connect and interact with others online using specially designed websites. Often, the people you interact with on social networks are your "real life" friends or they are people you meet online who share some of your interests.

You can lean on your library for resources on using social networking sites, and we're always happy to connect with new friends on any of the social networks we use.

Facebook is a popular social networking site on which users can create profiles for themselves or a fan page for their business or organization. It can also be used to update friends on your current status and to share photos, interesting internet links, videos and more.

Twitter is another popular website that took one component of Facebook, the status update, and expanded it into an entire social network. Users can, from their computer, cell phone or other mobile device, update their Twitter friends about whatever it is they're up to. The catch is that Tweets, as a post to Twitter is called, are limited to 140 characters.

Flickr is a website designed to allow its users to upload and manage digital photo and video content, in addition to networking with friends who are also using the site. Free accounts are available with certain limitations, such as a maximum monthly upload limit, and paid accounts are available without such limitations. 

MySpace is a very popular social networking site. Like Facebook, it allows users to create a profile, connect with friends or organizations (like libraries), blog, share photos, meet new people, share videos, promote musicians, and more.

YouTube is a video sharing website. Anyone, even those without a YouTube account, may view most videos on the site. YouTube users may upload their own original videos, such as home movies and short films, to share with their friends or the world.

WordPress is a blog publishing website. Blogs are, to put it simply, online journals. The difference between a blog and a journal is that what you're writing is open to the public. Most blogs, like the Capital Area District Library's, allow readers to comment on posts and share posts with friends. Often posts are shared with readers' friends via other social networks, like Facebook, Twitter and MySpace.

Email Newsletters

Want to keep up to date on the latest recommended titles from CADL? Subscribe to one of our Reader's Newsletters and never miss another great read.

How to Subscribe

1. Click here to view a list of our newsletters.
2. Click the "subscribe" link next to the one you're interested in receiving. This link will take you to a new page.
3. Find the email newsletter(s) you would like to receive on the list.
4. Select the one(s) you're interested in receiving by clicking the box next to the newsletter's name.
5. Scroll to the bottom of the page.
6. Enter your email address and click the "subscribe" button. (Don't worry - CADL won't share your email address with others.)
7. Emails should start arriving in your inbox. If you have further questions, consult your local librarian.

RSS

Really Simple Syndication (RSS) is an online technology that helps people who read frequently updated websites avoid having to continually "check back" to see if a site has updated. Examples of frequently updated websites include news sites, blogs and podcasts. The Capital Area District Library uses RSS to help you, our patrons, stay up-to-date.

Why Should I use RSS?

RSS eliminates the need to repeatedly navigate to frequently updated websites. It allows you to subscribe to multiple feeds of online content all in one place by sending new content to you as it is posted. There are two great advantages of using RSS over subscribing to an email newsletter: you don't have to provide anyone with your email address, and you don't have to fill your inbox with news items.

How to Subscribe to an RSS Feed

When you subscribe to an RSS feed, information is automatically delivered to the RSS reader (also known as an RSS aggregator) of your choice. What's an RSS reader? RSS readers can be websites or a piece of software you install on your computer. They take a feed of website information from the internet and display it for you in an easily readable format. Many web browsers, like Firefox, Internet Explorer and Safari, have RSS readers built into them.

Can I read an RSS feed in my email?

Yes! If you're not up to setting up an RSS reader on your own, or you don't read enough websites that an RSS reader is necessary, there are a few, free ways to receive RSS feeds in your email inbox.

• Feed My Inbox
• RSS to Email - Feed Mailer