File this web tool under “why didn’t someone think of this before?” FillAnyPDF.com lets you upload any pdf or image file (such as a blank form), type on it, and then save the completed form as a new pdf file.
It’s not perfect, but it’s easier than a typewriter. I’ll use this both for patrons and myself, and I’m still surprised there aren’t tons of these sites out there.
via LibraryStuff
A few weeks ago I was searching for a quick and easy online database, and stumbled across DabbleDB.
It looks like it’s been around for awhile, and after watching their 8-minute demo video, I was really impressed. It seems incredibly easy to use, and excels at turning those flat spreadsheets into the databases we all want them to be. Plus, being online, it is amazingly easy to create simple and powerful web forms to work with the data.
I was looking for an online database to create a searchable catalog for our Town-Wide History Project. After looking around and talking with the other groups involved, iwe’re going to use PastPerfect Online instead, but I’m kind of sad not to get to play with DabbleDB. For a little more tech info on it, check out this post on TechCrunch.
If you’ve got 8 minutes, watch the demo video - it’s all good, but my favorite parts are towards the end: how easy it is to move data around (the email example) and their interface for building web forms. I can hardly wait to get some time to develop an online search tool using DabbleDB - hmm, maybe our Vertical File?
Update: found another video on YouTube:
And I also remembered that we’re building a spreadsheet of obituaries that have appeared in the local newspaper - another perfect application for this database.
This week’s question is actually one with me as the patron (well, in this case, customer). I was so impressed with the person who helped me, and how she helped me, that I thought I’d share. However, to keep her from getting into trouble, I’m going to change a few facts to protect her identity.
On the weekends lately I’ve been working on a project building boardwalks through a swampy park in Chelmsford (hey, librarians need fresh air too). I needed to rent a cordless circular saw, and in the process of calling around to local places that rent tools, I called a Lowe’s Home Improvement store. After I explained what I needed, the customer service associate I spoke with said:
I’m sorry, but that is not a tool we rent. Furthermore, it is against Lowe’s store policy for associates to suggest places like Taylor Rental at 555-555-5555, so I’m very sorry I can’t help you.
I was laughing so hard I could barely say thank you and good-bye, and I think she appreciated it. I know I did - no rules were broken, and the customer service was friendly, informative, useful, and very memorable.
Because of this good experience, I’ll definitely be shopping at that Lowe’s in the future, despite their unhelpful official store policy. Just an example of why good customer service, and caring and helpful employees, is so important.
Here’s a neat web tool I’ve been waiting to use ever since I read about it a few weeks ago on the Library 2.0 Ning group - the Awesome Highlighter.
It lets you highlight a portion of a webpage, send someone a link, and then they can see exactly what you highlighted. Great for virtual reference work, but also just good in general.
One of our more tech-savvy patrons emailed me asking if there was an easy way to search the Library’s catalog right from book’s page on Amazon. There is, using Firefox and Greasemonkey, and it is outlined on my Library’s Tech Tools page.
But instead of just sending him the link to the Tech Tools page, I ran it through the Awesome Highlighter, so I could send him a highlighted page, with focus on exactly the portion of the page I wanted him to see. Not that he wouldn’t have found it on his own, but it just makes it a little bit easier - especially the “jump to highlights” link at the top.
On the Ning page, there’s some discussion about the highlighter working or not working depending on whether the user is signed in. I’ve only used it a couple times, but I haven’t had any trouble. The great thing is that someone from the company is participating in the discussion, so hopefully whatever bugs do exist will be corrected as a result - much like Jessamyn’s comments on SWIFT.
If we never speak up, then we’ll never get tools that do exactly what we need (I’ll refrain from inserting my ILS soapbox here).
I am giving a workshop in early April on using flickr. It’s the last in a digital photography workshop series at my library, because, after people learn how to use and take nice pictures with their digital camera, the flickr workshop will show them one option for doing something with those digital pictures.
I thought I’d get a jump on preparing for it, by compiling a list of websites I’d like to mention in addition to flickr - not just online photo sharing websites, but websites that let you edit photos, sites that have free archives of photos, etc.
In the process of working on it, it occurred to me that it’d be worthwhile to post it here, too. It’s a long list, but certainly not all-inclusive, so if your favorite isn’t listed here, please share.
Photo Sharing:
Photo Editing:
Image Archives:
Other flickr-related Information:
Also, this list will probably change a bit closer to the workshop.
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I may not have gone where I intended to go, but I think I have ended up where I needed to be.
- Douglas Adams
