A presentation for MASL spring conference 2012. Shows how we use google calendar to schedule classes in our high school library.

1. Google Calendar for
Online Library Scheduling
Jane Drabik, Librarian
Mindy Siefert, Librarian
Lindbergh High School
St. Louis, MO

2.  Teachers can view anytime
 Scheduling can be done from home
 Wanted to save time
 Tried a couple different methods, but
Google calendar worked best
 Google calendar was FREE!
Why online?
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3. Overview
The basics of how online library scheduling works
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4.  Easily embedded into our website
Our Google Calendar
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5.  Teachers fill out a Google form, found on
our website below the calendar, to request
library time
Google Form
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6. Teacher requests are organized
into a Google Spreadsheet that
only library staff can see
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7.  In order to create your own Google
calendar, in which teachers can request
library use, you will need:
◦ A Google account
◦ A Google calendar
◦ A Google form
 The Google spreadsheet will be generated
automatically from the form
What you will need
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8. Getting Started
Setting up the calendar
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9.  Go to google.com and click “sign up” in the upper
right corner
 Create a free account by clicking the blue link
“create an account for free”
 Fill in the information to create a free account
Setting up a Google Calendar
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10.  Once your account is established, log in to
view your email
 The links at the top will take you to
additional products, like calendar.
Log in to your account
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11.  Add an event by clicking on a timeslot on
the calendar
Adding events
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12. Events Appointment slots
• Teachers request • You create
time appointment slots
• You create the event • Teachers sign
• Teachers can see themselves up
scheduled classes
Events can be added in 2 ways
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13.  Include title, change time, select
calendar, enter description, and SAVE
Fill out information
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14.  Multiple calendars can be added for library
classrooms or various sections
 The calendars will be color coded
Adding calendars
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15. • Click “Create New
• Add a calendar by Calendar”
clicking on the arrow • Add name and description
next to “My • Click to make the calendar
Calendars” in the public
lower left side • Finish by clicking “Create
Calendar” button at the
bottom
Adding calendars
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16.  Each calendar is color coded
 Choose colors that stand out from one
another so that your patrons don’t
confuse different areas
 Calendars can be viewed or hidden
depending on how they are set up
Adding calendars
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17.  When all the calendars are created you
can add events to various calendars
 Click on a timeslot and a drop down menu
will appear under “Calendar:”
 When you choose your calendar the
events will appear in color coded timeslots
Adding calendars
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18.  Events can be
duplicated.
 Open the event to
be duplicated
 Under “More
Actions” select
“Duplicate”
 Change information
for new class
Helpful Hints
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19. Creating a Google form
Teachers fill out the form to submit a library request
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20.  Under the top tabs select “Documents”
 Click on “Create” on the upper left side
 Select “Form”
Creating a Google Form
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21.  Add a title
 Click “Add Item” at the top left to add fields
 Select from text, multiple choice, text boxes, and
more to create your online library request form
Creating a form
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22.  Our form
contains a
title, descriptio
n, fill in
boxes, check
boxes, and
memo area
Our Library Usage Request
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23.  When a teacher submits a Google form an
email is sent to our library Google account
 Gmail settings allow all emails to be
forwarded to ONE email address
 We have this set up as well. Setting can
be changed in Gmail, settings
icon, settings, then “forwarding and
POP/IMAP”
Notification of teacher request
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24.  All information submitted on the form
goes to a Google spreadsheet that is
automatically created when the form is
saved
Google Spreadsheet
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25.  We print a copy of the spreadsheet at the
end of each month, along with our other
statistics
 Then we delete the old information
 Another option would be to create a form
for each month
Saving the data
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26. Embedding the calendar
Add the calendar and form to your website
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27.  While looking at the  All calendars will
calendar, click on appear
“My Calendars” on
 Click on any
the center left
calendar name
side, then select
“Settings”
Embedding the calendar
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28.  In the middle of the page there are
directions to “Embed this Calendar”
 Click on the link that says “Customize the
color, size, and other options”
Embedding the calendar
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29.  Use this screen to customize your
embedded calendar
Customized your embedded calendar
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30.  Select the calendars  Select the default
to display in the view
lower left corner  Week is easiest to
read, but patrons
can change the
view as well
Customized your embedded
calendar
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31.  The customized calendar can now be
embedded by copying the embed code
and pasting it into your webpage
Embedding the calendar
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32.  Google calendar has some problems in
certain browsers, namely IE
 The calendar will not default to your
school’s hourly schedule
 Each class period has to be entered
individually
 Events can be moved by clicking on the
event and dragging it to the new date
Things to keep in mind…
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