Summer vacation

Okay, so consider the lack of July postings a nice summer break - or winter break if you're in the Southern Hemisphere, I suppose. While we're at it, let's take August off too! But watch out, because I'm busy collecting all kinds of goodies for you to enjoy learning about come September.

In the meantime, go get back to your roots and read a book! (Preferably on a beach somewhere.)

Thing 63: PDF Form-Topia: PDF Form Filler Freeware

FoxIT Reader is a wonderful free tool to add to your PDF arsenal. Click the Play button to view a video that introduces you to FoxIT Reader and describes its wonderful features. We especially love the feature that enables us to type text in a non-editable form.

I downloaded and installed it to my flash drive so that I would not leave home without it! Would you like to have your very own copy? Log onto: http://www.foxitsoftware.com/pdf/rd_intro.php

Click the DOWNLOADS link. Click Download Foxit Reader 2.3 (Installer: .exe, 2.55 MB). Click the RUN button to run the insatallation program from the FoxIt Software website. Or click the SAVE button to save the file to your computer, and run the installation program from your computer. I chose to run the installation program from the Fox It Software website. The installation process was quick and easy!

Then I opened the Post office application file I saved during THING 62. To recap: Log onto http://www.usps.com/. Click Forms. Click Employment Forms. Click PS Form 2591(PDF).

Click Tools; Typewriter Tools; Typewriter. Click in the text box you want fill in and begin to type. If the cursor doesn't land exactly where you want it to, you can click the Move cross, and drag the text box to wherever you want to place it. Then you can type to your heart's content. It is so easy!

There is one caveat, however. If you save the completed form FoxIt Reader adds a red evaluation mark to the completed form. If you buy the FoxIt Reader Pro Pack for $39.00, you can save a completed form without an evaluation mark.

You can PRINT the form without having evaluation marks added. That's what I did. It works beautifully!

I'm so glad we've had this time together. Until next time, Happy Computing!

-Mary

Thing 62: PDF Form-Topia: PDFEscape.com

Have you ever tried to fill out a non-editable PDF form? Frustrating, isn't it. Especially if the PDF form is an employment application and you've waited until the last day to submit it. Of course, YOU would never do such a thing. ;>) This post is to provide you with some tools you can use to fill in a non-editable form.

Let's say you've decided to work at the post office. Although you can now search and apply for post office positions online, you decide that you prefer to do it the old-fashioned way - with a paper application form. Log onto http://www.usps.com/. Click Forms. Click Employment Forms. Click PS Form 2591(PDF). In the Name box, type your first name. What's the matter? Allow me to introduce you to what is known as a non-editable PDF Form. In order to complete this form, you will have to print it, and write it out by hand or typewriter. If you can find a typewriter, that is. It's no secret that human resource types prefer not to have to decipher a job applicant's handwriting. What are the odds that your handwritten application will be read by a human? Especially if you have poor handwriting? What's a job applicant to do?

The following website offers a solution to this problem.

PDFescape.com is a free online pdf reader, editor, form filler and designer. You can open and edit pdf files from a URL or saved to a disk. The great thing about this site is that it will let you use it without registering first. Or is it great? More about that later.

To test it, I chose the Unregistered User option and opened Form 2591 from the website: http://www.usps.com/forms/_pdf/ps2591.pdf. I clicked on the Form Field tool; created the text box; moved the text box to the Name field on the form; doubled-clicked on the text box; and typed my name.

I found it simple to use, and easy to navigate. The text box reponded effortlessly to my resizing it to fit the Name field. It was so easy, and I was having so much fun, I decided to fill in a few more fields. There is even a check mark tool which makes it easy to check boxes on the application. Wow!

When I tried to save the form as a pdf file, a message box appeared informing me that a small logo and link for PDFescape would be added to the free PDF created. If I wanted to avoid having the logo and link added I would have to pay for one premium credit. Premium credits are sold on the website at $4.99 for 5 credits; $8.99 for 10 credits; $16.99 for 20 credits; $29.99 for 50 credits; and $49.99 for 100 credits.

So I thought to myself, maybe I should save it and see how it looks. When I opened the saved file, the following was emblazoned across the top of the form:

"This file was created, modified, or form filled with PDFescape. This marking will not be placed on files saved using the premium option in PDFescape."

Also, the following was emblazoned across the bottom of the form:

" PDFescape is an online web service that enables its users to create, open, edit, and fill in PDF form files. The basic service is free, however this small tag is added to files which use the service free of charge. This marking will not be placed on files saved using the premium option. For more information see www.pdfescape.com"

Then I thought to myself, maybe I should just print it out. When I tried to print it, I was informed that a small logo and link for PDFescape would be added to the free PDF printed. If I wanted to avoid having the logo and link added I would have to pay for one premium credit.

So I dedcided to just print it and see how egregious the logo and link looked on hard copy. Across the top of the form the following was printed in large letters: "Printed Using PDFescape (www.pdfescape.com)". Across the bottom was printed the full URL for the document. The addition of the logo and url on the printed application made the application unsuitable for submission to a prospective employer.

Bright idea! Why not become a Registered User and then fill out the PDF form? Suffice it to say: Registration has its privileges. When you register with PDFescape.com, you receive 2 premium credits as a welcome gift. So armed with a precious premium credit, I was able to save and print my completed form with no logos, tags or PDFescape messages. Success was mine, and can be yours, too if you save yourself some time and just register at the outset.

If you've enjoyed this post, take a look at the next chapter of Thing 63: PDF Form-Topia: PDF Form Filler Freeware. (What a tongue twister! I betcha can't say that three times fast!)

-Mary

Your June learning guide ...

is one of the most enthusiastic technology trainers that I know. Mary Wright, who works with me in Virtual Village, actively recruits people for her classes and has 'em eating out of her hands once they're there. Even people who don't take her classes ask for her by name. Bottom line, Mary knows her stuff, and I'm sure she has some wonderful, useful things to share with us this month.

-- Jamie

Thing 61: Library Apps on and for FB

Yes, it's Facebook again on the very last day of the month. If it hadn't been such a hectic month for me I might have introduced you to Ma.gnolia or the like, but instead I wish to give you just a little something more to do with Facebook. Some people love the site instantly while others take a little more to warm up to it. Certainly, the Annoyed Library is skeptical. Others, like the fantastic Helen Blowers find it an important networking tool. So if you are a hesitant librarian, why should you get involved?

1. If you work with the public and computers, your patrons are using it or something like it.
   
2. It really is a great networking tool to connect with other librarians, via chat, messaging, or groups – it's more casual than e-mail if you just want to be aware of potentially interesting projects, and it provides another means for you to be contacted.
3. It is a launch pad to all sorts of 2.0 applications: the WorldCat search app, LibraryThing, along with an abundance of book applications that let you track your friends' reads and keep track of your own.
4. The chance to give your library one more face to the world by creating your own applications or library profile.

This last reason is one of the least developed, especially here at PLCMC. Searching our initials currently brings up a hand-full of library staffers and one completely unrelated group. A better example is the "Places" profile for Davis Library on the UNC campus. The library's profile gives an image of the building, address, phone numbers, and hours of operation. The page even gives visitors the ability to talk to a reference librarian through an IM application from meebo. The British Library lists a link to their web page, a direct link to their current cultural exhibition page, and they advertise special programs by listing them as events – as does the Seattle Public Library. Discussion boards and wall posts allow user interaction. The Whitby Public Library in Ontario even writes notes (facebook blog posts), and includes the WorldCat app and a map application for patron's trying to find the library.


Discovery Exercise:

Search the word "library" in Facebook, explore some of the results, and blog about what you find.

Optional:

Add the Explore ... Discover... Play app and brain-storm some ways that it could be more interesting and informative. Add these ideas to the comments section of this post.

Thing 60: Facebook

I have been quite remiss in my discovery guide duties for May, but Jaime hasn't gotten around to introducing me yet so perhaps I can be forgiven. I am Kjersti, one of the evening aides in Virtual Village. Long-time PLCMC insiders frequently recognize me as the daughter of tech-diva Mary Kyle, now working at Tech Central in ImaginOn.

In honor of all this forwardness of self-introductions I bring you Facebook!

Facebook started as something like a college-only alternative to Friendster and MySpace, allowing users to create a profile, join a college network, and interact with their friends. The social site has since opened up to anyone, but is still heavily favored by college students. It also offers one advantage over other social networking sites: verified identity. In order to join a university network the user must have a valid e-mail account with the institution. Some employers also have Facebook networks, among them is National Public Radio.

Facebook began allowing outside programmers to create applications for the Facebook site about a year ago. Now users can include elements on their profile page from other social networking applications like last.fm and twitter, play games with their friends (and display their scrabble prowess), or recommend a good book. If you are fluent in a foreign language you can even get involved in translating Facebook for non-English speakers. And if you are too impatient to send messages or wall posts back and forth, you can even chat with friends online when you are.



Discovery Exerise:

1. Sign up for a free Facebook account and create a profile.
2. Search for friends already using Facebook:
1. By name using the search box in the upper left corner.
2. Using "Find Friends" under the Friends menu at the top of the page.
3. Poke someone you know or write a message on their wall.
   
4. Blog about the experience.
   

Optional:

1. Create a limited profile to keep some personal information private from acquaintances while still having it available on your profile to close friends.
2. Add interesting applications to your profile (maybe Slideshare, which you might have signed up for as a previous Learning 2.1 Thing).

Thing 59: Authors On the Web

One final day of the month, one final post. Don't worry, it's a quick one.

I highly recommend AuthorsOnTheWeb.com - It's one of the first book sites I found and I refer to it daily. It has something for everyone. I recommend this site for people looking for the next book by their favorite author or someone looking for new authors. It has a “Coming Attractions” feature that lists the new and upcoming books by month, and dates of paperback publication. You can also link to the AuthorYellowPages to get the web address of almost any author you can think of.

AuthorsOnTheWeb.com and AuthorYellowPages are put together by TheBookReportNetwork.com, which also created ReadingGroupGuides.com, an online community for reading groups, and Bookreporter.com, a great place to get to know more about your favorite authors, as well as several other reading-related sites.

Discovery Exercise:

1. Visit AuthorsOnTheWeb.com and some of the other TheBookReportNetwork sites.
2. Blog about your visit. (Told you it would be quick this time!)

- Jamie, posting for Sandra Nicholls