Help! My Onlife Life Is Out of Control!

From www.makeuseof.com

Do you ever feel like your online life is spinning out of control?  Are your emails forming an endless conga line of chaos while your true agenda lies somewhere lost in the frenzy?  Do you receive a multitude of unwelcome advertisements which seem to appear right after you've signed up for a new social media account or downloaded a new app?  Do you ever feel shocked when you look up at the clock and it's 3:00 A.M. when all you planned on doing was surfing the Net for "just a few minutes"?  If you answered yes to any or all of these questions, then you just might be in danger of losing control of your online life.  Luckily, this MakeUseOf article by Nancy Messieh, "4 Handy Services to Get Your Online Life Under Control", offers several ways you can take back control. 

Messieh highlights the following four services to help you regain control of your online life:

Notification Control

Tidy up your email notifications in one minute with this free service!  Click here to learn more.

MyPermissions

Avi Charkham, the Founder of MyPermissions, explains it best:  "Privacy is no longer about protecting your personal computer!  It's about controlling who has permissions to access your personal information on the web."  Every time you sign up with websites and apps, you are allowing "them permissions to access your personal info."  While it's remarkably easy to share your permissions (most often without even realizing it), removing access to your permissions can actually be quite difficult.

This is where MyPermissions comes in!  As Messieh explains, "you can use the service to figure out which third party services have access to your social media accounts."  Click here to learn more. 

*Please note:  This is not a free service!

Unroll.me

Now here is an excellent free service for managing your out of control inbox!  As Messieh points out, Unroll.me makes it especially easy to "unsubscribe from" all those unread newsletters by pooling them all together "in one place."  Click here to learn more. 

*Please note:  According to Messieh, "At the moment, Unroll.me only works with Gmail and Google Apps email accounts."  Also, you must "grant it access to your email account", but as Messieh points out, "...with a service like MyPermissions, it's easy to simply revoke access..." later. 

Rescue Time

Rescue yourself from the pitfalls of online time wasters!  RescueTime tracks your virtual time and allows you to graph your online efficiency.  Available for both Windows and Mac, RescueTime offers both a free service, as well as a paid option with extra features.  Click here to learn more. 

*Please note:  As Messieh points out, utilizing RescueTime will allow "third party service access to all of your activity" online.  It is highly encouraged that you review RescueTime's privacy policy before you begin using the service.

                                             -Kerry Vash, Online Librarian, Blog Co-editor -

                        

Free Learning Tools!

Attention Education Majors!

Free Learning Tools Available!

From www.criticalthinking.com

The Critical Thinking Co. is now offering you a fabulous opportunity to receive three free e-books and access to their trial software!  All that is necessary is that you submit the online form in which you agree to receive emails from The Critical Thinking Co. concerning their business and products.  Click here to learn more! 

                                               - Kerry Vash, Online Librarian, Blog Co-editor -

Experience the Excellence of Ebrary!

Part II:  Multi-User vs. Single-User Access

From www.ebrary.com

Have you ever tried to download an eBook in ebrary only to discover that the system would not grant you access to the material you needed?  Most likely this happened because you were trying to gain access to a single-user eBook that was already being used by another patron.  Read on to discover the difference between multi-user and single-user access to eBooks.

Multi-User vs. Single-User Access

While most eBooks available to you on ebrary provide multi-user access (with a check-out period of 14 days) so that many users can enjoy the same eBook simultaneously, there are some eBooks that only allow for single-user access (with a check-out period of 7 days) in which case the eBook may only be used by one user at a time and no other users may view the eBook until it has been returned.

How Do I Determine Whether an eBook Allows for Single-User Access Only?

You can often determine if eBooks are of the single-user type because they are accompanied by a "Release this title" icon on the QuickView bar or you will only be allowed to see a preview copy which means it is currently checked out to another user.  A prompt will appear allowing you to sign up on the waiting list for that particular eBook.

Friendly Reminder

Please be mindful of other patrons during the course of your eBook transactions, especially in the case of items with single-user access.  If you decide that a particular eBook is not as useful to your research as you expected, please return the item immediately for the benefit of all patrons.  Click here for instructions on returning documents early via Adobe Digital Editions. 

To continue to explore all of the options available to you via ebrary, please visit the Ebrary Support Center. 

                          - Kerry Vash, Online Librarian, Blog Co-editor -  

 

Experience the Excellence of Ebrary!

Part I:  Ebook Download Options for Offline Access!

From www.ebrary.com

Have you ever encountered Internet problems just as you’re starting to read that critical eBook for your final research paper?  Well, take heart, my friend, because now ebrary offers you download options for offline access!  With our Library's ever-expanding ebrary collection currently offering more than 78,000 ebook titles, the option to download these materials for offline access is truly an amazing opportunity!  It’s as simple as logging on to ebrary, finding the eBooks you need, and then choosing between the two offline access options.

How to Log on to ebrary 

• From the Library's home page, click on the Online Library Resources link found near the top right of the page. 
• Click on the eBooks & eReference Resources link. 
• Now that you have reached our Library's eBook & eReference Resources page, click on the Ebrary link. 
• Enter your My.Saint Leo username and password to access our Library's ebrary collection.

Ebrary's Two Offline Access Options

The Ebrary Support Center offers detailed instructions about these two options.  You may also click on the "Learn More..." links below to be directed to this information.   

OPTION 1: 

·         “Create an image PDF of a specific chapter or page range"

Learn more...

Quick Reminders:

• Maximum of 60 pages may be downloaded into PDF form.
• Accessible on the Kindle.
• To read the file, all that is necessary is the PDF viewer you typically use such as Adobe Reader. 
• Please note that typical eReader options such as selecting specific text, searching, highlighting, or taking notes are not possible on many PDF viewers. 

How Do I Do This?

• Once you have found the eBook in ebrary that you wish to create an image for, you will then click on the Download button in QuickView. 

• This will open a window which will then allow you to choose this option and either set the chapter or the page parameters for the section of the eBook you wish to create an image PDF for:

• Voilà!  You can now read your materials offline using any PDF viewer such as Adobe Reader.

OPTION 2:

“Download an entire document as an e-book in Adobe Digital Editions"
 Learn more... 

Quick Reminders: 

• To begin, it is first necessary to install Adobe Digital Editions which is available for free online for both Windows and Mac.
• NOT accessible on the Kindle.

How Do I Do This?

• Once you have found an eBook in ebrary that you wish to download in its entirety, click on the Download button in QuickView. 

• This will open a window which will then allow you to choose this option.

• You may choose to immediately Open with Adobe Digital Editions or Save file to open later.

Learn more... about Adobe Digital Editions, including how to transfer your documents to iOS devices (Apple's mobile operating system including the iPhone, iPod touch, iPad) and non-iOS devices (but not including the Kindle).  This involves creating an Adobe ID that authorizes your computer to allow these materials to be transferred.

Be sure to tune in tomorrow as we continue our journey into the "Excellence of Ebrary"!

                            - Kerry Vash, Online Librarian, Blog Co-editor -

 All Aboard the eBook Train! 

Tablets & eReaders Not Required!   

From www.makeuseof.com

An enlightening MakeUseOf article by Yaara Lancet, "Quick Guide:  How To Enjoy eBooks Without A Tablet Or An eReader”, shares new ways of exploring eBooks. 

As the popularity of eBooks soars to new heights, there’s certainly no denying that the opportunity to have nearly instant access to your favorite book is a marvel for readers everywhere. Yet many of us feel removed from the sweeping sensation of eBooks because we don’t have eReaders or tablets. What we may not realize is that these devices are no longer the only channels by which we can enjoy the splendor of eBooks:  your computer offers many of these same opportunities!  Even better, as a member of our Saint Leo University community, you have the opportunity to view over 250,000 eBooks available to you online from Daniel A. Cannon Memorial Library.

Here is some more information about accessing our amazing eBook collection:

Our Library’s eBook Collection

Click here to learn about all of the full-text databases that comprise our eBook and eReference collection.  Once you enter your Saint Leo login and password, you have instant access to e-books online, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week!

Click here to learn more about eBook options available through our Open Access Collections - no login or password needed!

eBook Apps Available Online For Your Computer

In addition, check out these fantastic apps Lancet recommends:

Nook for PC/Mac/Web

While Barnes & Noble’s eReader, the Nook, is sold as both a simple eReader ($99) and a tablet ($199, but look out for sales where prices are often reduced to $179), as well as other variations,  these devices are not necessary to appreciate the variety of offerings at the Nook Store.  Nook Reader is also accessible for PC, Mac, and via a Web version congruent with IE, Firefox, Safari and Chrome.  All of these versions are free and allow you to read eBooks directly on your desktop. To experience Nook products, you must first create a BN.com account. Click here to return to the article where you can learn more about Nook eBook options available on your computer and find the links to download the apps. 

Kindle for PC/Mac/Cloud

The ever popular Kindle, Amazon’s pride and joy, offers several eReader versions from the basic Kindle ($79) to the more advanced Kindle Fire tablet (which is now sold out with speculation of an upgraded version to be released in the early fall) to the ultimate Kindle DX ($379), as well as other variations.  However, Kindle books can also be appreciated without any of these devices.  As long as you have an Amazon account, these free app options are available to you: Kindle Cloud Reader, “compatible with Firefox, Chrome and Safari” and “the Kindle desktop app for Windows or Mac.”  Click here to return to the article where you can learn more about Kindle eBook options available on your computer and find the links to download the apps.

Kobo for Windows/Mac/Web

Another popular eReader, Kobo, also provides “its own set of desktop and web apps for reading eBooks.”  Although Lancet describes the app as “the least responsive and intuitive”, she also declares that “it makes up for these faults with a slick reading interface”.  To begin getting books, a Kobo account must first be created.  Click here to return to the article where you can learn more about all the options available through Kobo's eReading apps.

Calibre for Windows/Mac/Linux

MakeUseOf and Lancet sing high praises about this eReader and have even created their own freely downloadable guide.  More than just an eReader, Calibre is also an “eBook organizer which you can use to read books from almost any eBook provider out there, and in almost any available format, including ePub” (electronic publications).  In addition, Calibre allows you to “convert eBooks to different formats.”  Click here to return to the article where you can learn more about Calibre's options and find the link to download the apps for Windows/Mac/Linux.   

Booki.sh for Web

For easy eBook reading via your browser, especially anything involving ePUBs, check out the web app, Booki.sh!  Supportive of “ePubs as well as other formats”, Booki.sh can be used “to browse local stores for eBooks” or to “upload your own ePUB files for easy reading.”  Able to be used “both online and offline”, Booki.sh “supports Firefox, Chrome, Safari, and IE, with Opera support coming soon.”  In addition, Booki.sh can be used for reading “on your iOS, Android or Blackberry devices.”  While Lancet mentions that this reader is “not as sophisticated as others”, she asserts that it offers all the “basic” functioning of any “desktop eReader”.  Click here to learn more about the many possibilities Booki.sh offers.
                                                 - Kerry Vash, Online Librarian, Blog Co-editor -