iHCPL The Web According to Google #86: Calendar and Documents

1. Create a calendar in Google Calendar and try adding some events or tasks to it. How do you think you would use Google Calendar in the workplace or at home? Do you think you would find it helpful to share calendars with coworkers, friends, or family?

I forgot I have a Google calendar! I last used it on Wed Jun 27, 2007. Since it duplicates my Outlook calendar and the pencil and paper one that I carry around with me in my ever-present notepad at work, I haven't used it. However, it might be useful when I'm attending a library conference. Its last use for the ALA 2007 annual conference in DC, but I can't remember if I ever used it while I was there. I'll try again for this year. While it could be useful to share it with coworkers, family or friends, it’s been my experience that none of them, myself included, actually use it.

2. Try creating a file Google Docs and uploading one from your computer. Can you see yourself using Google Docs in addition to or instead of a desktop office application? Why or why not?

I also forgot that I had a Google Docs account that I created during the original iHCPL. There were four documents from 2007, one blank word processing document from 2008, and a document that was sent to me in April 2009. I started typing the draft for this post using the blank word processing document from 2008. The choices of typeface are limited, but sufficient for taking notes. Initially it let me copy and paste from the Google Document onto Word, but not from Word onto the Google Document, but then a few minutes later it did. I'm somewhat puzzled by its repentance, and wonder if I did something differently the second time. The Google Document's tool bar was simpler than the Word 2007 ribbon, which I count as a plus. I was able to copy and paste the image of a book cover from the jump drive I had plugged into my desktop and re-size it easily. The Google Document had a handy drop down menu that gave sizes for the image that went from thumbnail to full page, or custom dimensions. On the other hand, cutting and pasting an image that was not already a .jpeg file or cropping an image were processes that I needed the extra functions of Word to accomplish.


I started uploading my Books Blogged spreadsheet, a 91K excel 2003-2007 file, on May 4, 2010 at 8:22 a.m. CST. At 8:28 I clicked back to the previous page, and it stopped attempting to load the file, as near as I could tell it had done nothing. I stated again at 8:33 a.m., and this time it worked.

Overall Google Docs was much faster than I remember it from 2007, so I don’t know if this is a function of improvements in its software or more bandwidth at the library. Will I actually use it again? I doubt it. All the computers at work are loaded with Microsoft Office, the desktops, laptops at home, and my netbook are all loaded with Microsoft Office.