Thing 13_Online Productivity Tools

For several periods during 2008, my prior laptop lived at Best Buys service center where people looked at it with pity... while it waited for yet another new part. Why the sob story? Because it meant I was without the bedrock of my life - Outlook's calendar and tasks. Thus began the search for web applications to help keep my life in order.

First, I tried out Google Calendar, which worked fantastically. I upgraded to the beta version of Google Talk which provides pop-up reminders on whatever computer you've downloaded it to. It also allows you to click and instantly pull up the calendar. Other amazing features: getting directions, sharing the calendar or selective appointments and setting reoccuring appointments. The daily option for e-mail reminders or cell phone text messages is cool too. This is a good application and I can see libraries that want to get away from the Microsoft Suite model using this.

Next, I tried Remember the Milk because I wanted a more developed task/project management web app. It may have been my patience for those few days or just a fluke, but I found it too complicated and not very rewarding for the work. It never integrated into my life.

Now that I have a new laptop, I've also tried Rainlendar which is a lovely, minimal calendar & to-do list gadget that stays on the desktop. It's been a bit buggy but I really love having it right on my desktop. I found this one through LifeHacker, by the way. This is not something I can picture a library using especially because it doesn't network or share, but it's a great personal tool and would be nice on a multi-use desk computer, if it included people's shifts. It can be set to make a soft chiming sound or simple a desktop pop-up reminder. There's even a snooze button!

And finally, I am also using Fruitful Time Task Manager (the free version). So far, I've used this program to plan and execute moving to a new apartment and fundraising and traing for a bike tour. I should really spring for the paid version but I'm goin to keep hunting for a really intuitive, free project mgmt application or web-app. For a library that needs project mgmt. software, this may be a good invesment. As someone who hates Micrsoft's Project Mgmt software... I would say, spend less money and use something more intuitive like Fruitful.

So Lifehacker... aka the blog that has far too many posts each day. This is definitely an RSS Feed worthy blog. I quickly scan through the posts, stopping only at the ones that picque my interest based on the relevant program (iPhone... meh). I'd suggest having one or two people in a library browse these posts, rather than having everyone get bogged down reading about iPhones and Firefox extensions.

In conclusion, I already use and have tried quite a few of these programs, sites and applications. I think that their usability within a library setting will definitely depend on the type of library, their audience and their needs.