APU Cyber & AI

Build Your Own PDF Library with Google Drive

While Google Drive offers some decent, online tools for word processing, spreadsheets, and presentations; the online system allows you to store any file type. This gives it a wide range of possible uses, but for students, it is especially great for storing PDF documents. It has a familiar folder system for categorizing, as well as a simplistic search function that comes with all Google tools.

Inevitably, a student in any higher learning program will encounter digital files they wish to keep. However, carrying those files around on a jump drive or transferring from computer to computer over the years will become overkill. Google Drive is the perfect place to dump files and forget them.

Google Docs in Action

How you store them is up to you. For example, if you were working on a degree in military history, you may find use in this type of folder structure.

Whenever you find a PDF file, store it. The beauty of this system is you can have files resting in Google Docs for years without fear of a computer crash wiping them out.

In addition, you can access the files very quickly through searches. After building your digital library over the years, the search function becomes very useful when you suddenly have to do research on something such as the War of 1812. Search your Google Drive and see what you have available.

The key to making this tool useful is to use up the space. Upload often. One method to make this easier is to maintain a folder on your computer called something like “Upload to Google.” As you collect files, fill it up. Then when you have time for uploading, do it all at once. Google can handle it.

By Scott Manning
Online Learning Tips, Student Contributor

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