Skip to Main Content

Canvas Integration: RSS Feed Alerts

RSS Alerts

Instead of email alerts, you can try RSS alerts. This type of alert generates a customized URL that delivers content to whatever compatible reader you use. Several RSS readers to try are listed below. There are several ways to use the RSS feed alert that databases can generate for you inside your Canvas courses. Below are some ideas!

Get an RSS Alert!

Finding RSS Feed Alerts

Most of the sources listed that offer email alerts also offer RSS alerts - you get the same content, just a different delivery method! You can usually find these feed addresses by looking for the orange RSS logo -  Then, just copy and paste into your favorite feed reader! You can find one below.

Need a Reader?

What are RSS readers?

RSS, also known as Rich Site Summary or Really Simple Syndication, is a web feed format that publishes frequently updated information from external websites such as blogs, news headlines, audio, and video. RSS feeds benefit users who want to receive timely updates from favorite websites or to aggregate data from many sites. These feeds subscribe researchers to updates from databases/websites and are generally denoted by "RSS" or an image like - RSS Orange Logo

Databases may provide an RSS Feed URL for each search and publication. RSS Reader software sends out links to subscribed researchers whenever new material, that meets their criteria, is added to the database. In order to view the content that the RSS alert provides to you, you need somewhere to read it - like an RSS reader!

RSS readers may be downloadable applications or web-based services that work inside a browser.

Some examples are:

  • Feedly -  a free RSS application for various browsers and mobile devices (iOS and Android), also available as a cloud-based service. 
  • Feedreader - free software you can download and install on your computer.
  • Inoreader - is a web-based content and RSS feed reader with sharing features.
  • netvibes - web-based, free, easy to use.
  • G2Reader - a free, web-based reader.
  • Feedspot - free, easy to use, works in most browsers.

Using RSS Feeds in Canvas - Announcements

RSS Alerts in Announcements

You can use RSS alerts in your Canvas course Announcements area.

You can add an external RSS feed to a course announcement. The RSS feed will display the 15 most recent posts within Announcements. Please note that the feed will only display content created after you added the RSS feed. Moreover, the RSS feed only displays active announcements. Delayed announcements do not display until they are posted.

Note: Adding an RSS feed will create an announcement for every new item added to that feed. Users that have chosen to be notified of new announcements in their Canvas notification preferences may see a substantial increase in the amount of notifications they receive.

Read more about this process here.

Using RSS Feeds in Canvas - Embedded in Pages

RSS Alerts on Canvas Pages

There are many inventive Canvas users out there using RSS feed readers to deliver content to Canvas pages. Here are links to a few:

  • Laura Gibbs uses InoReader. Find out how you can too from the helpful information here. And here!
    • NOTE - this method is no longer possible from the free level of InoReader. HTML Clips now require the PRO level account ($49.99/year).
  • Adam Williams uses FeedWind. Find out more here!
    • NOTE - FeedWind is no longer free to use.

©2022 Houston Community College Libraries