WebJunction is pleased to host the third cookbook from TechSoup’s MaintainIT Project, Planning for Success. This free online resource brings together the most current ideas and best practices for planning, building, and managing your library’s computer technology. Librarians from around the country have contributed their experience and knowledge on over 50 topics ranging from security solutions and strategic maintenance practices to community building experiences. http://www.webjunction.org/maintainit-cookbooks/articles/content/34716950 [posted on WebJunction Newsletter - January 2009 Crossroads] scb

“PrintWhatYouLike is a free web page editor that gives you control of how web pages look when printed.” Watch the short demo and see how easy it is to print only the elements you want on a web page. You can eliminate inline ads and unwanted text. There is nothing to download. Just enter the URL for the page you want to print. http://www.printwhatyoulike.com/[rb]

From School Library Journal

http://www.schoollibraryjournal.com/blog/1340000334/post/1410038141.html

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I am reposting a post I made a year ago.

With the whole year ahead of us, you might want to consider backing up important files on your home and work computer. If you ever save a file to your Desktop or other place on your local hard-drive, there is a chance that it is not included in nightly Network back-ups. Microsoft has a short article on the subject at:
http://www.microsoft.com/protect/yourself/data/what.mspx

Windows XP Professional, XP Home and Windows Vista all have a built-in back-up utility. You can read more about it here:
http://www.microsoft.com/protect/yourself/data/backup.mspx Instructions for making manual back-up copies are included in the article.

And then, once you have backed up your files, you need to protect your back-up files. You can read more about it here: http://www.microsoft.com/protect/yourself/data/tips.mspx

You can read about different external storage options at: http://www.microsoft.com/protect/yourself/data/storage.mspx

There are also online storage options available:
SugarSync http://www.sugarsync.com/
Drop Box http://www.getdropbox.com/ (Free)

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iSpring Free will convert your PowerPoint documents into a Flash document, which can then be easily uploaded to your web site, blog, or e-mail. iSpring Free is a free download and includes a PowerPoint plug-in. [SD]

Tiddly Backpack is a free, easy to use off line wiki. After downloading the software, place it on a USB memory stick and edit your wiki anywhere. Then, you can e-mail or upload the wiki so others can view it. The wiki is all in one file. Download it here: http://www.tiddlybackpack.com/ [SD]

The Octoberr 14, 2008 Tech Therapy column is an interesting discussion of the diferences and similarities between library and IT staff. To read this column, go to http://tiny.cc/VnSII (bbj)

Here is a free tool by Hewlett-Packard that allows you to enter the URL for RSS feeds and then create a PDF that looks like a newsletter. Librarians can use this tool to create customized newsletters for doctors, researchers, faculty or any one who would benefit from receiving the most up-to-date information on a given topic. Click here to visit a discussion about this tool. Click here to create a Tabbloid newsletter. [RB]

Apply to the attend the National Libray of Medicine’s BioMedical Informatics Course offered twice a year at the Marine Biological Laboratory in Woods Hole, Massachusetts. This weeklong course is fully funded by the NLM. You can read Network member Laura Hickerson’s recap of her experience last summer in the latest issue of the Plains to Peaks Post http://nnlm.gov/mcr/services/comm/newsletter/PTPP_November_2008.pdf Applications are due January 15, 2009 for both sessions. Don’t miss this opportunity! Learn more at http://www.mbl.edu/education/courses/special_topics/med.html [scb]

Josephine Tan, Education and Information Consultant, Clinical Sciences at UCSF Library in San Francisco, presented “Blogging to Extend Your Reach” to the “13 Things” Learning 2.0 class on November 10. She discussed how to use a blog to disseminate knowledge to a particular audience (i.e., educators, students). She also talked about how she tracks usage of her blog using Google Analytics, which can help you measure your usage and justify your return on investment in creating the blog. View the recording here:

https://webmeeting.nih.gov/p34125116/

[SD]