Automation is Here: How Google Apps can be Leveraged to Automate Tasks in Library Technology Environments

With so many software options available, it can be easy to overlook the tools library staff may already have at their disposal, such as office productivity software like G Suite. Google`s suite of applications (Google Apps) can, with some customization and a bit of coding know-how, create efficiencies for library technology environments ranging from the one-branch public library to the large, resource-rich academic library. These apps offer robust and flexible tools that can be used to accomplish a variety of library-related tasks, at no cost to individual users and at a low cost to institutions. This presentation will demonstrate how library staff can leverage Google Apps to increase accuracy and efficiency, streamline workflows, and manage data. While some prior coding knowledge is useful, we approach this topic from a self-taught and experimental perspective, using real-world examples from a public library (Strathcona County Library) and for an institutional repository at an academic library (the Education and Research Archive at University of Alberta Libraries).