A Tool You Can Use
by Erin Hoffrance
During my time working in the law firm library arena, I have also been enrolled in the University of Washington Information School’s online MLIS program. Working full-time and going to school can be quite an overwhelming experience, so in order to make sense of it all, I would try to find overlap in both areas as often as possible . I experimented with tools I learned about in school to see how they would translate into the work world. There is one tool that kept coming up in my mind as a great way to bridge this gap – and that tool is Jing!
Jing is a screencasting program that allows you to either take a photo of your desktop or “make a” video of your screen changes. It is something that some of my professors used as well as a program that I had to use for some class projects. I can also see how it would be useful in the working world. It is pretty easy to use, and the free version of Jing allows you to put together 5 minute videos for free.
Jing offers the option of creating an accompanying audio with your video recordings. This is a great tool for creating quick tutorials for users. Using the photo option, you have the opportunity to draw on the screen so that you can highlight a web address, or circle an icon that you want the user to see. The video option is great because you can use it to give a tour of perhaps, your intranet, or the log-in process for an electronic subscription.
I will say that having been in the law firm world, I know that even freeware is sometimes not allowed on firm computers, so you should check with your IT/IS department before downloading Jing. Even if you cannot use this tool at work, I suggest trying it out on your home computer to see how it works and its capabilities, that way, if necessary, you can make a strong case to the powers that be for its use in the workplace. You also have the option of acquiring Jing Pro which is $14.95/year, however, there is a lot you can do with the free version. I have included a sample video and sample image on how to sign up for email updates for the blog. It really is a great and fairly intuitive tool that I suggest you try out!
Themocracy
Well-done article. I am motivated to give JING a try…at home. Thanks for bringing this tool to my attention.