Handling Information Overload with Productivity Tools and Tricks

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Handling Information Overload with Productivity
Tools (and Tricks!)

• Cliff Landis, Technology Librarian
• Valdosta State University, USA
• ACURIL XXXVIII, Jamaica
• 3rd June 2008

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Feeling overwhelmed?
http//www.flickr.com/photos/telstar/43843015/
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Information Overload affects both librarians and
library users.
http//flickr.com/photos/lincolnlog/1196478322/
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http//flickr.com/photos/will-lion/2469444622/
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Its all about balance
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Stress is the opposite of Productivity
http//www.flickr.com/photos/cassidy/1847735009/
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We LOVE stress
http//www.flickr.com/photos/kendiala/29482743/
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Multitasking is Bad
http//www.flickr.com/photos/elsie/126502367/
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Concentration is Good
http//www.flickr.com/photos/ycart/77163474/
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The Perils of Distraction
http//www.flickr.com/photos/locator/420581084/
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Making Choices
http//www.flickr.com/photos/basky_obed/931635726/
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More ? Better
http//www.flickr.com/photos/turtblu/362000340/
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Tools
http//flickr.com/photos/bre/552152780/
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Books
http//flickr.com/photos/practicalowl/349046546/
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Articles
http//flickr.com/photos/gadl/320300354/
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Webpages
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Blogs RSS

• The double edged sword
• You want good information, not all information
• Bloglines
• Google Reader
• Thunderbird

http//flickr.com/photos/8765199_at_N07/2381778838/
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Do you read every letter of a newspaper from
beginning to end?
http//flickr.com/photos/24443965_at_N08/2383754739/
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Tricks
http//flickr.com/photos/eoino/506778/
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Fear Not!
http//flickr.com/photos/paolomargari/1992019542/
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Get it out of your head!
http//www.flickr.com/photos/alefbetac/527768781/
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• It should be fun and easy to use

http//flickr.com/photos/heroturtle/2314460648/
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Have a conversation!

• Passive information consumption
• Important things will come to you

http//flickr.com/photos/bepster/120018144/
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The Zen Office

• Remove distractions
• Focus on a few important things
• Remember your purpose

http//flickr.com/photos/kiad/513941203/
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http//flickr.com/photos/buro9/298993997/
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Its all about balance
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flandis
http//flickr.com/photos/lwr/12364944/