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Wednesday, September 3, 2008

Profitable Google Searches Part 1 - Digital Library

Getting what you want out of Google may be a problem. In the next few postings I will show you some of the searhes I came up with while answering some questions as a Reference Specialist. Please enjoy it.

The first is targetted at LIPs who urgently need to gather some resources on Digital Library (337,000). Click on this link and learn from the search terms I used.

Did you like what you saw? Please let me know.

Wednesday, June 4, 2008

Finding Tutorials That You Need Part 1

I am writing this piece from the venue of the Nigerian Library Association (NLA) Annual General Meeting (AGM) and National Conference holding in Kaduna.

One of the side-issues I noted in my notebook was the need for continuing education of professional librarians. In fact, a lady came up almost in tears asking colleagues to help in getting a space in the Nigerian Open University. She was actually responding to one of the presenters who challenged professionals not to be satisfied being "a local champion, but a global champion."

This, again fired my interest in finding out more places where Library and Information Professionals (LIPs) could go online and find FREE tutorials. Then, I ask myself, where is the natural place to start searching for such information. Your guess is as good as mine - Google! Then, I remembered I read an article sometime ago that suggested that one way to start is to get on some of the social bookmarks like del.icio.us

So, what I did was to go to http://del.icio.us and do a simple search for tutorials. Then... you have list of resources in front of you that many people have discovered and stored for future use. You may want to narrow your search down to a particular area e.g. Google, Podcasting ... From here, all you need to do is to click and go.

I have to get off now. I have a session to catch up with. Watch out for part two.

Tuesday, January 15, 2008

Conversion to PDF: Quick Ways To Get it Done

By the nature of my work as a Webmaster in an International organization, my duty includes posting of documents in pdf formats. The easiest way to do this is simply to buy Adobe Acrobat Professional and it will be done. However, this was not available at this time. And I needed to post the document fast. How did I get over it without paying a kobo.

The first thing I did was a google search. But I was not sure what search terms I should use. Should I just key in terms like pdf and Microsoft doc or what? Eventually, I came up with this

pdf conversion free

Click here to see what I got...

The second thing I did through Google was to do another restrictive search to del.icio.us - a social bookmark

site:del.icio.us pdf conversion

See what I got...

On the other hand you may have to get to http://del.icio.us/ and do a search for pdf conversion

See what I got...


In summary, I have found the following website useful in the order:

Another great way I discovered is the use of Google Document and Spreadsheet.

From Google.com, select from the drop-down menu under . Click on Document

Upload the document you are trying to convert to pdf and click on File >> Save as pdf.

Let me know whether thiis is useful to you.

Sunday, June 24, 2007

Getting Help on Microsoft Productivity Software

The other day I was bogged down with Microsoft Word. You mean, you too you are having difficulties in getting the best out of MsWord? I was trying to do Mail-merge. That feature that allows you to mass-mail personalized letters to contacts. I got round it. Not only that, I also learnt how to better search for tutorials.

Let me show ou quickly what I did?
  1. I discovered that Universities in developed countries especially U.S. routinely post tutorials on software on their websites which include MsWord.
  2. I also recognized that with Google, you could limit your search to university websites only by simply adding site:edu to the keywords
  3. More importantly, Google also allow for search for synonyms of words. The one that was of value to me then was tutorials. So, in order to capture other web sites with keywords like HELP, TIPS, TRICKS, GUIDE ... I simply used the searched for synonyms of TUTORIALS by adding this ~ with the keyword i.e. ~tutorials
  4. I decided to to focus on MsWord 2003. I typed in the full name and the edition together as a phrase i.e. "Microsoft word 2003". In most search Engines you must use "..." in order to search for the exact phrase.
  5. Finally, I also needed to specify Mail Merge because that was the area of interest.
  6. The final search terms used in Google looked more like this
    "Microsoft Word 2003" ~tutorials site:edu "Mail merge"
  7. I got what I wanted.
  8. Try searching for tutorials on MsPowerPoint
You may click here for a comprehensive search on Google tutorials

Thursday, May 31, 2007

10 Ways to Simplify your life

I read this wonderful clips from http:/www.ririanproject.com/. I was fascinated by the simplicity of the list or what is refered to as commandments. Please read and learn from it.
clipped from ririanproject.com
I. You shall find work that is fun.
II. You shall laugh on a daily basis.
III. You shall sell the box sitting in your living room.
IV. You shall break your addiction to the news and go on a “news fast.”
V. You shall get in the habit of taking daily “silence breaks.”
VI. You shall clean up your act.
VII. You shall turn off your technology.
VIII. You shall be spontaneous.
IX. You shall set a bedtime and stick to it.
X. You shall learn what is “enough.”

Monday, May 21, 2007

How to Handle Your Confussion About ICT in the Libraries

As a Trainer, I have seen many LIPs so confused about ICT as regards their work. The answer is not far-fetched. Please read this article titled: Advice to a slightly less experienced geek librarian @ http://onebiglibrary.net/story/advice-to-a-slightly-less-experienced-geek-librarian. A number of points are listed for you there. Please try it and let us hear from you.

Sunday, May 13, 2007

Could Librarians in Developing Countries Go on Strike?

Yes! we can go on strike if colectively decided to do so for best of all reasons. But, will there be any impact in the society?

This thought came to mind when I began to see the Academics, Oil workers and Medical practitioners in Nigeria calling their members to proceed on an indefinte strike to press home their demands.

The government in most cases have negotiated with many of these professionals in the past. In some cases, their needs were met and in other cases they suffered great loss.

The concern here is: Are Library and Information Professionals so valued to the point that if they should proceed on any strike, will there be any nogitiation with the authorities? If not, why?

Let me here from you ...

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