By Laura Milligan

Writers in today’s market, whether they write fiction, news stories, blogs, or just for fun, are online during much of the day in search of ideas and gigs. Organizing job posts, favorite reference sites and new searches for various pieces can get overwhelming, even with the efficiency of the Internet. To help you stay more focused, organized and productive, we’ve compiled a list of 50 must-have Firefox extensions that all writers need to check out.

Quick Reference

This list features dictionaries, search tools and general reference extensions that can save you time and keep you focused on your actual work.

1. British English Dictionary: Fiction writers or those writing for or referencing British publications will benefit from this easy-to-access dictionary.
2. United States English Dictionary: Do simple spell checks with this online dictionary through Firefox.
3. del.icio.us: This add-on makes it easier to search through del.icio.us, perfect for journalists or other writers who need to know what everyone’s talking about.
4. Merriam Webster: Quickly search the Merriam Webster English dictionary without having to move away from your current page.
5. FreeTranslate: When digging up primary source material, use this add-on to translate pages into English.
6. Ask.com Toolbar: If you want to save an entire search and not just one or two pages, this extension will archive saved and favorite locations and individual sites.
7. Hyperwords 4.0.2: With this tool, you can select a word on any website and instantly perform a search on it, translate it, access conversions and reference material and more.

Staying Connected

When working on collaborative projects and when you’re trying to keep in touch with your various audiences, stay connected with these Firefox tools.

8. Sage1.4.2: This "lightweight RSS and Atom feed aggregator" plays well with Firefox’s bookmarking system and lets you customize newspaper feeds.
9. LinkedIn Companion for Firefox: Network with your LinkedIn profile more easily when you download this extension, which lets you see the LinkedIn profile (if they have one) for anyone who sends you e-mail and bookmark profiles and profile searches.
10. Kaboodle: If you use Kaboodle to share websites or just store your own searches, you can access it more easily with this add-on.
11. WataCrackaz AutoSMS: Track down busy agents and editors with this tool, which lets you send texts to cell phones around the world from Firefox.
12. Send Page by E-mail: Send a website via this e-mail system to yourself, co-writers, your research assistant or anyone else. This extension lets you send the site or a clip of the site directly from Firefox.
13. Unofficial MySpace Toolbar: If you prefer to stay connected through MySpace, add this extension so that you don’t have to open a new tab to log in, comment, read messages and more.
14. Notify: If you frequently visit a website for basic reference information, use this tool to be notified anytime content on that site changes. That way, you’ll always be up-to-date and can avoid writing or sharing old information.
15. Dai.sy 1.1.0: Chat and share files with your colleagues or editors when they visit the same site as you.
16. SiteSays: When you’re working with a team, you can use SiteSays to write comments about different websites you’ve looked at.

Saving, Bookmarking and Organizing

Keep track of your entire searches, favorite websites and comments or ideas with these extensions.

17. Chipmark 3.2.1: Writers who use different browsers and different computers for their research can use Chipmark to organize all bookmarks.
18. Clipmarks: This tool is great when you only want to save a certain part of a website and not all of the junk surrounding your research or clips.
19. Trexy TrailBar: Start a search trail in order to remember past searches and recover information you found weeks or even months before.
20. Diigo: Use this tool to organize research material just like you would in a book or journal. Diigo lets you add highlights and sticky notes to any website.
21. Add Bookmark Here: This extension allows for an even easier way to add a bookmark.
22. NeedleSearch 3.5: Bookmark niche search engines that are hard to find or hard to remember with this tool.
23. Plain Old Favorites: If you used to be an IE user, you can add those favorites to your Firefox bookmarks without having to export them.
24. Flat Bookmark Editing: Writers who don’t know how to manipulate their bookmark properties can opt for a simple "flat" editing tool like this one to organize them.
25. Scrapbook 1.3.3.7: This popular organization tool lets you save all or part of a website, organize your saved pages, and search within your collection.
26. NetMarks Manager 3.2: Capture Firefox bookmarks with this tool to comment on websites, search within your collection and more.

Files

From help with downloading files to managing images and other files, these tools can keep you from getting too sidetracked and bogged down in technicalities.

27. OpenDownload: This tool is great for writers who don’t want to pay for different programs or search out programs that let them download files. Instead, when you choose to open the file, OpenDownload connects you to the open source program that will let you view it.
28. PDF Download: View PDFs as HTML documents in Firefox and manage other save or viewing options with this tool.
29. Image Toolbar: Get immediate access to photo editing commands like saving and copying from a simple toolbar so that you can manage pictures for your blog, news story or just for inspiration.
30. Download Statusbar: When you download this extension, a small statusbar is installed that lets you manage all of your downloads from one spot.

Privacy

Maintain your privacy and your integrity with these extensions, which keep prying eyes and competitors locked out.

31. Gmail S/MIME: Encrypt sent and received Gmail messages with this tool.
32. hideBad 2.0: Perfect for writers working in competitive libraries or too-public coffee shops, this extension "quickly closes tabs that you do not want others to see" and lets you clear Firefox history.
33. Stealther 1.0.6: If you need to share your computer with another writer or editor, keep your research and comments safe by temporarily disabling browsing history, cookies, downloaded files, recently closed tabs list and more.
34. TrashMail.net: Set up a separate e-mail address for junk mail that clutters up your regular inbox and leaves you more vulnerable to online scams.

Staying On Deadline

Stay on task with these notifiers, calendars, automatic alerts and other Firefox tools.

35. FoxClocks: If your publisher or editor is in a different time zone, make sure you’re still on deadline with this in-sync clock.
36. ReminderFox 1.7.2: Mange your to-do lists and deadlines with this extension, which has a simple interface.
37. TimeTracker 1.2.4: Keep tabs on how much time you "waste" or work on Firefox to help you be more productive and on-task.
38. Google Reader Notifier: If you depend on feeds and stories sent to your Google Reader for inspiration or research, keep track of how much you still need to get finished with this notification add-on.
39. Gmail Manager 0.5.5: Manage all of your Gmail accounts with this extension, which also notifies you of new messages.
40. Usage Counter 0.2.1: Usage Counter is another time tracking add-on that lets you know how much time you’ve spent on a certain website, helping you figure out when it’s time to move on and when to take a break.
41. gotTime 0.2: gotTime allows you to "create countdown alarms for reminders of important events," from set-in-stone deadlines to meetings to draft reviews.

Building Your Business

The following list includes add-ons that will help you find jobs through Craigslist, stay connected with your clients and manage your own advertising and revenue online.

42. Emurse.com Resume Quick Send: When you find contact information for someone you’d like to work with, right click and select "Send Resume via Emurse.com" to send a pre-filled e-mail message.
43. Facebook Toolbar 1.2.1: This extension lets you search Facebook from your browser, no matter what website you’re already on. You can also check messages, pokes, and updated profiles.
44. CraigZilla: Get to Craigslist even faster so that you can update postings, apply for jobs and more.
45. Adsense Notifier: After you download this extension, your Adsense earnings will be displayed on your Firefox statusbar.

More Writers’ Tools

Here you’ll find even more of our favorite writers’ tools from Firefox, from add-ons that link you to sources to extensions that make your blogging experience more efficient.

46. NowPublic: This tool is a must for journalists and other writers wanting first-hand information from real-life events. The system works by allowing users to "highlight anything on the web you think is newsworthy and connect to eye witnesses at the scene of the story."
47. Zotero: This Firefox add-on makes it easier for you to research and even cite your sources all from the web browser.
48. LinkChecker: Verify links for security and as legitimate sources with LinkChecker.
49. Tag Editor: Whether you blog full time or just for a few extra bucks each month, you can stop wasting time coming up with tag links after each post. This tool does it for you.
50. TextMarker! 0.3.2: Get super organized with editing and research by using three different highlighter colors to mark up text selections on websites.

By Laura Milligan

Going back to school can be a difficult transition for any mid-career professional, adult student or other type of nontraditional student. Military service members, though, have unique challenges facing them when they decide to earn a degree or complete a career training program after seeing combat or spending time abroad. From finding military-friendly schools that accept transfer credits for experience to maximizing the benefits of your G.I. Bill, we’ve found 100 of the best back-to-school sites and resources for former military personnel to get you back in class and on the road to a successful career.

Learning About Financial Aid

These resources have information about general financial aid and special military benefits that help you pay for school.

1. Financial Aid for Veterans and their Dependents: FinAid goes into detail about what financial aid and tuition assistance programs are available for veterans and their families.
2. Use Your Benefits to Pay for School: Learn how to work your military benefits so that you paying for school is much more affordable.
3. Military Student Financial Aid: The Financial Aid Finder lists information about eligibility, scholarships, tuition assistance federal and state grants and more for military students.
4. Military Student Aid: Learn about the recruiting benefits of the U.S. Armed Forces, as well as different scholarship and tuition assistance programs for military students here.
5. AIU Tuition and Financial Aid: When choosing a school, look for financial aid pages like this one at American InterContinental University that are specifically designed to help military students attend school.
6. Learn to Use Your GI Bill: Get information on GI Bill eligibility, National Guard users and more here.
7. NASFAA: The National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators lists information for Reserve/Guard officers and veterans here.
8. Financial Aid for Military Service: Veterans and active military personnel can earn tuition assistance and college funds in exchange for their service. Learn about it in this article.
9. Financial Aid for Military Servicemembers and Veterans: The site WorldWideLearn outlines the financial aid options for veterans and military servicemembers here.
10. How to Pay for Career Training: CareerExplorer offers ideas for how military servicemembers can pay for career and vocational school by tapping into their benefits, going to military academies and more.

Finding the Right School

Here you’ll find tips and tools for finding military-friendly schools that can meet your unique needs.

11. The Military Student Bill of Rights: When looking for a school that matches your needs and education goals, consider these points.
12. Peterson’s: This popular educational resource allows an easy search so that students of all types can find distance ed programs, honors colleges, career schools, graduate schools and more.
13. Find the Right Military-Friendly School: Military.com reveals tips for finding colleges and other postsecondary institutions that are military friendly.
14. College-Bound Vets Say Campus Needs Often Unmet: Consider the drawbacks of campus programs when you read this article.
15. Ask the Right Questions: From understanding accreditation and tuition assistance to picking courses and programs, this guide will help you out during your school search.
16. Military Education: For help understanding professional military education programs, turn to this page.
17. Find the Right Technology School for Your Career: The Army Times’ article on picking technology schools and programs keeps in mind the specific experiences and needs of military servicemembers.
18. Nontraditional Students: Find the Right College: This article gives advice for students looking for flexible programs, special financial aid options, and more nontraditional benefits.
19. Choosing a School: The National Military Family Association outlines different types of American schools and universities for the benefit of military students and children of military servicemembers.
20. How to Pick the Right School for You: This article goes over the dos and don’ts of picking graduate schools and programs.

Navigating Transfer Credits

Learn about the different ways you can transfer credits so that you don’t have to waste time learning about concepts in a textbook when you’ve already practiced them in the field.

21. College Credit for Military Experience: Figure out how to match your experience in the military for college credit by reading this page.
22. SOC Principles and Criteria: SOC — which stands for Servicemembers Opportunity Colleges — discusses the ways in which it sets standards for postsecondary schools wanting to recruit military students.
23. Transferring Schools: The NMFA aims to solve the problem of military spouses and family members missing out on credits because of transfers and sudden moves.
24. Why Coastline is a Military Friendly School: View this manifesto as an example of what to look for when determining whether your school is military friendly and accepts transfer credits and experience.
25. Academia and the Armed Forces: Credit, Experience Credentials - Making the Right Connections: CollegeTransfer.net’s article discusses how different organizations and institutions are more or less receptive to accepting military credits and experience.
26. Guide to the Evaluation of Educational Experiences in the Armed Services: The American Council on Education lets students search courses and occupations to determine if and how their experience transfers to college credit.
27. Credit by Advanced Standing: The University of Oklahoma’s page on determining credit for military personnel and veterans serves as an example to prospective military students looking for similar benefits at other schools.
28. Vets Often Denied Academic Credits: This February 2008 article from Boston.com uncovers seemingly unfair credit denials for experienced veterans.
29. CollegeTransfer.net: Students can join this community to keep track of their courses and transfers.
30. Getting Credit for Your Military Experience: The Military Credits blog gives a basic outline of how military students and veterans can organize their credits.
31. DANTES and ACE: Learn about these two exams, which can reward military servicemembers for their experience by evaluating their credits.

Scholarships

This list includes resources and databases for searching through military-friendly scholarships.

31. Military School Loans: CollegeScholarships.com lists information about special loans and repayment options for military students.
32. Scholarships: Military.com’s Education portal reveals the truth behind common myths about military scholarships and going back to school.
33. ArmyROTC: Here, high school students can find information about ROTC scholarships that will carry them through four years of undergraduate study.
34. Tuition Support: Today’s Military explains different forms of tuition assistance and scholarships for military servicemembers here.
35. AFCEA Educational Foundation: Learn about AFCEA scholarships here, which award college funds and distance learning scholarships to active duty servicemembers, veterans and military family members.
36. Military Transition: From the Army College Program to the Navy Knowledge Online program, you’ll find scholarships and tuition assistance resources here.
37. Tuition Assistance Information Center: Search this page by active duty, reserves or spouse to find the right kind of marine, army, navy, air force or coast guard tuition assistance program.
38. Scholarship Search: Use this database of over 5,000 different scholarships, loans and other tuition assistance programs by state, award type, study level and more.
39. Military Scholarship Finder: This tool lets you customize your scholarship search by typing in your educational goal, class type, residence, type of financial aid and more.
40. Scholarship Programs for Veterans: Veterans seeking federal aid and other types of scholarships will benefit from this guide.

Helpful Articles and Guides

Read the stories of how more and more military personnel are going back to school in these articles, which serve to inspire and provide information.

41. Continuing Education…What’s In It For You?: MilitaryTA.com explains how AARTS transcripts " translate military education and job experience into civilian language by listing college-equivalent credit recommendations" to place you in the right career, professional training or education program.
42. Returning Heroes are Going Back to School: Learn why more and more military veterans are going back to school and reaping the benefits of the GI Bill.
43. Going Back to School After Military Service: This article proposes several questions to consider before going back to school after serving in the military.
44. Should You Go Back to School?: This guide lists eight different questions that anyone going back to school should consider.
45. What to consider before going back to university for an advanced degree: Consider all sides of your decision to pursue a graduate degree with the help of this article.
46. Thinking About Going Back to School?: From picking a program to completing the application process to setting goals for yourself, this guide can help you make sense of going back to school.
47. Back to College: This website is a great resource for adults going back to school. You can find information on career planning, financial aid, internships, admissions and more.
48. Military Education: Online Education Mythbusters: This blog post gets to the truth about how online education can help military personnel and veterans reach their career goals.
49. University Continuing Education Association: This association has resources for those wanting to go back to school. There’s even a community just for military education.
50. Gatlin Education Services: The GES Military Education Services features a tuition assistance office, certificate programs, support for going back to school and more.

Understanding Online Programs

Before you enroll in a traditional campus program, why not consider online programs? You’ll save time and probably even money during your military - civilian transition. First, though, you’ll need to determine whether or not online education would be a good fit.

51. Commit to College: The Army Times’ guide to online learning gives military students tips for picking the right school and program, and selecting the right technology.
52. How to Choose and Online Degree Program: Understand the pros and cons of online schools vs. traditional, campus-based schools here.
53. What to Consider When Choosing an Online Program for Graduate School: This article on About.com discusses self-motivation, technology, how to research instructors and accreditation, understanding how courses are administered, school reputation and other factors you should research when looking for an online school.
54. Online College Accreditation: Learn about college accreditation and how to evaluate an online school’s accreditation by reading this guide.
55. How to Choose Your Online Degree Program: From schedule flexibility to accreditation, this guide assists students who are thinking about earning an online degree.
56. Education: Evaluating an Online Degree Program: This guide keeps in mind the needs of military students when evaluating online degree programs.
57. 10 Myths of Online Distance Degrees Debunked: Get the facts about how distance degrees are considered in the workforce, how affordable online education really is, and how online credits can be transferred.
58. Is Online Learning For You?: Complete this questionnaire to find out if you have potential to succeed in an online learning format.
59. Distance Learning Resources and Articles: Get access to all kinds of tools and articles about distance learning on this page, to help you with your search and let you know what to expect when you start an online program.
60. Succeed in Distance Learning Programs: You’ll need to practice these tips if you want to successfully complete your online degree program.

Government Websites

From FAFSA to the official website for the GI Bill, here are your government websites that help with education.

61. FAFSA: Learn about federal student aid programs here.
62. GI Bill: Learn about the benefits of the GI Bill from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs website.
63. Graduate School Resources: Learn about choosing graduate school programs and international education programs from the U.S. Department of Education website.
64. Non-traditional Student: ED.gov’s center for nontraditional students goes over GED certificates, student loans and federal financial aid, types of vocational and postsecondary schools and more.

Education Benefits for Your Family

If your spouse is also considering going back to school, check this list to find out what kinds of benefits he or she is entitled to through your service.

65. Military Spouse Education: If your husband or wife is in the military and you want to learn about the education benefits that you are entitled to, visit this resource to learn about the system.
66. Survivors’ and Dependents Educational Assistance Program: Learn about the programs’ eligibility requirements and benefits for survivors and dependents here.
67. Adult Education and Training: MILSpouse.org provides links to online education, free training courses, licensing and certificate programs and more for military spouses.
68. Stateside Spouse Education Assistance Program: Learn about this program, which awards education assistance to spouses of veterans, active duty military personnel and widows/widowers of army personnel.
69. Military Family Scholarships: Look for scholarships that meet your needs and accept your status as a military family member here.
70. Military Spouse and Family Educational Assistance Programs: From the Department of Defense to Veterans Affairs, you’ll find links to helpful resources on this site.

Attending School Abroad and While on Active Duty

Learn what it’s like to study abroad or go to school at a foreign university. This list will help you watch out for diploma mills, international education scams, and more.

71. Cadet Makes Time to Study Abroad in Ferrera, Italy: Read the interview with this Richmond student and cadet who also managed to study abroad.
72. Learning Online While Serving in the Military: Even if you’re abroad, you can still get an American university education through an online program.
73. Active Duty Education and Training: Don’t wait until you achieve veteran status to start looking up tuition assistance and programs for active duty personnel.
74. Urban Bases Hold and Edge for Learning-Minded Troops: Though the cities and bases profiled in this article are on U.S. soil, the same idea holds true for those stationed abroad.
75. Choose the Right Foreign University: Before studying abroad or deciding to enroll in a school where you’re stationed, read this article to consider the perks and downfalls of getting a foreign degree.
76. Foreign Students Unearth Fake Degree Scam in Vancouver: Be watchful for foreign university scams like this one when studying abroad.
77. Whistleblower Warning on Degrees: This article from the BBC website focuses on a scam that awards degrees to "overseas students who speak almost no English." Watch out for schools that hand out degrees to almost anybody who applies.
78. Study Abroad: Check the U.S. Department of Education’s website on study abroad to make sure you’re qualified and know how to pick the right country, school and program.
79. Diploma Mills: Degrees of Deception: Understand how diploma mills hand out fraudulent degrees to escape being scammed.
80. Program Allows Active-Duty Airmen to Study Full Time: This article profiles a program that lets active duty airmen to enroll in college and graduate without losing their benefits or pay.

Tips for Acclimating Yourself to College Culture

After serving in the military, it may be a challenge for some servicemembers to sit in a classroom full of rowdy 18 year-olds. These articles give valuable tips for readjusting to civilian life and college culture.

81. Helping Military Students Adjust: This BusinessWeek article discusses how military students pursuing their MBA at Harvard adjust to a typical graduate school environment after serving abroad.
82. Transition to Civilian Life: This article focuses on how military personnel can transition to the traditional American work culture.
83. Program Helps Basic Trainees Transition Back to Civilian Life: This article details a program for those who have been sent home because of "medical, mental or discipline issues" and helps them readjust to civilian life.
84. Federal, Private Sectors Help Ease Transition from Military to Civilian Life: This article from the Washington Post goes over the different programs and systems in place that help military personnel get back to work and plan out their career goals.
85. Job Fair Helps Veterans Make Transition to Civilian Life: Look for programs and job fairs like this one that are set up to help the military find work and readjust to American work culture.
86. Course to help transition veterans into civilian life: This community college course at the Citrus College and the East Los Angeles Veterans Center is designed to help military personnel deal with post-traumatic stress and other issues affecting their transition.
87. From combat to college: local student struggles with loneliness on "The Long Road Home": Read the story of a college student who is trying to transition to normal American college life after serving in Iraq.
88. Vets Returning to Campus Life Seek Help Readjusting: Read how culture shock, tuition and school fees, paperwork, and emotional stress can affect veterans of all ages who want to return to school.
89. Life After the War Zone: This article reveals how to one veteran, everyday tasks and even celebrations can be stressful after serving in the military.
90. Free Program Helps Vets Transition from Military Life to College Life: Learn how "the shift from battlefield to classroom is an arduous one" and what one program is doing to make the transition easier.

Career Training and Placement

For help finding career services and placement resources after serving in the military, use this list.

91. Army Times Career Center: Access articles and resources to get you ready for interviews, the job search and your "second career" here.
92. Veteran Careers: Military.com’s job resource center lists some of the best military-friendly employers, provides a resume center, salary calculator, and other helpful resources.
93. Military to Civilian Career Transition: Job seekers can access the career center on this website to find jobs with military-friendly employers.
94. Post Military Career Training: Allied Schools offers tuition assistance and career training for former military personnel.
95. Career Education: Degrees and Training: ArmyStudyGuide.com’s career training resource center features a list of jobs that "use your military skills," tips for incorporating your military experience into interviews and your resume, and more.
96. DANTES Credit-by-Exam for Military Personnel: Here is another guide to understanding the DANTES credit-by-exam system that puts you on the fast-track to a career.
97. Jobs after the Military: Take a look at the kinds of jobs and careers that former military servicemembers may find intriguing.
98. How Job Training Can Lead to a Post-Military Career: This About.com article goes over the different skills and experiences that different branches of the armed services can afford its members.
99. GI Bill Apprenticeship and OJT Program: Get on-the-job training through this program which awards qualified individuals tax-exempt payments on top of their salaries.
100. Planning for Success After the Military: This guide goes over several different options for what you can do after the military, including civilian education options, career training in the military and more.

By Heather Johnson

Students, teachers and the public turn to their librarians for help researching everything from technology to genealogy to homework help and lesson plans. Even if your library is equipped with subscriptions and memberships to top of the line databases and online journals, you’ve probably had to get creative during a patron’s requested search for something unfamiliar. Next time, though, you can turn to one of these 50 search engines, designed to pull from the Web only the information you really need.

Meta Search and Multi Search Engines

These meta search and multi search engines can search numerous engines and sites at once, maximizing the number of results you get each time you conduct a search.

1. Ms. Freckles: Adorable Ms. Freckles can search online for different file types, definitions, translations, film, finance sites, and a lot more all at once.
2. Kart00: This cartoon-inspired search engine lets you hover over results to get a preview of the site before you open it. Results are also organized by topic so that you can narrow down your search and organize hits.
3. Fazzle: Search the web’s best, the entire web, downloads, images, videos, audio or headline news. You can also select an advanced search to find incredibly specific results.
4. Trexy: This site saves your search memory so that you don’t have search multiple times on different engines.
5. Mamma: Here at "the mother of all search engines," librarians search the web or video. Next to your results is an option to refine your search by choosing a suggested category.
6. 1-Page Multi Search: Type your search into one or several of the following search engines at once: Alta Vista, AOL, EntireWeb, Gigablast, Hot Bot, Lycos, Scrub, Yahoo!, Google, YouTube, Dogpile, Ask Jeeves, and a lot more.
7. iZito: Busy librarians who are constantly finding new reference sites and search engines will like iZito because of its ability to save your history in an easy drop down tab.

Multimedia and Interactive

For help finding pictures, podcasts, music and shareware, use these search engines.

8. Metacafe: Find videos on this site if you want a change from YouTube.
9. Songza: Patrons looking for music can use this search engine, which "lets you listen to any song or band." You can also search the featured list or top played list.
10. Picsearch: This large photo search engine has more than 2 billion images in its directory.
11. Get a Podcast: Search for podcasts all around the web in this directory.
12. Shareware: If you need to install new software programs on your library computers, turn to Shareware first, which pulls up tons of free programs and downloads.
13. Public Radio Fan: Find information for thousands of public radio stations on this site. You can find the times of different broadcasts, station names, podcasts and more.

Google Search Engines

A Google search doesn’t just mean typing in a keyword on the homepage and seeing what pops up. Try out these niche search engines sponsored by Google to find books, images and more information that librarians will find useful.

14. Google Image Search: Ask Google to bring up the most popular images on the web with this engine.
15. Google Scholar: Get connected to scholarly journals and publications here.
16. Google Books: Search online copies of books on this search engine, which features categories like literature and science fiction to biology and linguistics to highly cited to categories organized by subject and keyword.
17. Alerts: Set up Google Alerts for any subject so that you’ll get results sent to your inbox every time there’s a new site, blog or keyword mention on the web.

Great Niche Sites for Librarians

From family friendly and kid-safe searches to science and medical search engines, these niche sites can help you with very specific research projects.

18. Scirus: Pull up science-related results on this research-oriented search engine. You can find "not only journal content but also scientists’ homepages, courseware, pre-print server material, patents and institutional repository and website information."
19. Librarians’ Internet Index: Here you’ll be connected to quality, authoritative sites. Search by keyword or narrow down your search by browsing categories like business, government, media, health, computers, or the arts and humanities.
20. Family Friendly Search: Librarians at elementary and middle schools, as well as public librarians, may be interested in directing patrons to this site, which is safe for kids.
21. Intute: This British search engine lets you pick search options in the following categories for a specialized search: science and technology, arts and humanities, social sciences, and the health and life sciences.
22. PubMed: PubMed is one of the premier search engines for medical students and researchers. You can find journal articles, citations, clinical information and more.
23. Meta-Index for U.S. Legal Research: On the GSU College of Law site, librarians and patrons can take advantage of this meta-index which brings up judicial opinions, legislation and more.
24. Internship Programs: College librarians may want to direct students to this search engine, which connects searchers to internship opportunities.
25. Congoo: For current events and news searches, use Congoo to connect you to the latest in technology, industry, business, world news, finance, politics, Internet trends and more.
26. CataLaw: CataLaw is another law search engine that organizes "all indexes of law and government into a uniform, universal and unique metaindex."
27. USGenWeb Archives: Help your patrons with genealogy searches with this engine.

Custom Searches

Tailor your search to your daily needs with these search engines, which can be modified by remembering search history, customizing templates and more.

29. mozbot: Pick a language and customize your search with this engine. Mozbot can also add results to your favorites, send results by e-mail, display thumbnails of different sites, and provide suggestions for similar sites.
30. Curriculum Search: Help teachers find reference materials, lesson plans and tools by searching this Google custom search engine.
31. Computer Science Research: Use this search engine or adapt it to make your own to find computer science materials and references.
32. Rollyo: Choose to search categories like health, travel, tech, reference and others using Rollyo, a system that "create[s] search engines using the sources you trust."
33. Ujiko: This sleekly designed search engine lets you choose how you want your results displayed and organized.

Reference Searches

The following list of search engines prove useful to all kinds of librarians in search of dictionaries and other reference materials.

34. JustCite: JustCite is a legal search engine and can help you find citations.
35. Online Journals Search Engine: Search scientific databases and journals here.
36. Powerset: For a basic Q&A session, use Powerset to quickly search Wikipedia entries.
37. Infoplease: Get information on any subject, from history and government to arts and entertainment to world news to biographical information to homework help.
38. Guide Star: This search tool is great for public librarians or librarians who work with teachers wanting information on grants and nonprofits. Type in the name of an organization or keyword to find nonprofit group information.
39. JoeAnt: You can get answers to research queries on any subject at JoeAnt, from computers to science to politics to the humanities to business law.
40. Find Tutorials: Find tutorials for practically everything on this search site, from education to culture to spirituality, to finance to the Internet.
41. RefDesk: RefDesk is known as the "fact checker for the Internet." You can search MSN, Google, Yahoo! or Wikipedia, as well as various dictionaries and periodicals.
42. OneLook Dictionary Search: Get detailed definitions, translations and more on this search engine, which pulls from over 1,000 different dictionaries.
43. The Dictionary of Free Online Books and Shopping: Look up and access books online for free using this search engine, which includes educational books, history books, children’s books, biographies, political books and a lot more.
44. Thinkers: Wisdom: This site features a literary search engine called Wisdom that can search the web, images, audio, video, a dictionary and more.
45. Information.com: Use the web search or search encyclopedias, blogs, articles and online groups to get creative with your reference search.

Library Search Engines

Check out these search engines that are designed to emulate or are sponsored by libraries and librarians.

46. Internet Public Library: Find references, search the collections by subject, check out the reading room or KidSpace when you visit this online public library.
47. The Open Library: Here, librarians discover "one web page for every book." This open source project also features an advanced search, connecting you to the exact book and full-text publication you’re looking for.
48. Awesome Library: Find full-text books, journals, kid-safe sites, business information and more on this online library search engine.
49. LibDex: Search the indexes and other information for 18,000 different libraries here.
50. WorldCat: WorldCat helps patrons and librarians "find items in libraries near you." Search for books, DVDs, CDs and articles.

By Jessica Merritt

Out of the box, Firefox 3 is already an incredible web browser. But when you consider all of the power tools that can be added to it, it’s even better. Check out these add-ons for Firefox 3, and you’ll take your browser to the next level.

Sharing & Discovery

Get social with your favorite websites and use these add-ons to share and discover new places on the web.

1. StumbleUpon: This add-on learns what you like and will help you find web sites based on your interests.
2. ShareThis: Share any type of online content with your friends, family, and colleagues with ShareThis.
3. Me.dium: Share your favorite sites and communicate with your friends using this add-on.
4. Shareaholic: Use this add-on to make sharing URLs easy and streamlined.

Tabs

Make Firefox’s incredibly useful tabs even better with these add-ons.

5. Morning Coffee: Organize your websites to open up in tabs as part of your daily routine.
6. Tab Mix Plus: Tab Mix Plus supercharges Firefox’s tab browsing capabilities.
7. ColorfulTabs: Color each of your tabs in a different shade and color so that they’re easy to distinguish.
8. FaviconizeTab: This add-on allows you to cut the size of your tabs down to favicons.
9. Firefox Showcase: Manage and view your Firefox tabs as thumbails in a single window, tab, or sidebar.
10. Taboo: If you leave too many tabs open between sessions, use Taboo to save them for later.
11. IE Tab: Open up pages in Internet Explorer-compatible tabs with this add-on.

Reference & Connection

These add-ons can make simple text turn into usable reference points.

12. Who Is This Person?: With this add-on, you can highlight a name on any web page and find information on that person on a variety of different sites.
13. BlueOrganizer: BlueOrganizer will make web page content more interactive, allowing you to look up maps, save books to your wish list, and more.
14. Hyperwords: Use Hyperwords to select text on any page, and get quick access to reference, search, and more.

Bookmarks

Supercharge your bookmarks with these tools for Firefox 3.

15. del.icio.us: This official add-on will allow you to save your bookmarks on the web.
16. Jeteye: Save and share your best web searches using Jeteye’s super-powered bookmarks.
17. Clipmarks: Capture exactly what you want from a page and save it with Clipmarks.
18. Foxmarks Bookmark Synchronizer: Keep the same bookmarks on multiple computers using Foxmarks.

Files

Get some help with your files from these add-ons.

19. Open IT Online: Open your documents and images in Firefox with this add-on.
20. Video DownloadHelper: Easily download and convert web videos with Video DownloadHelper.
21. PDF Download: Before opening a PDF file in Firefox, PDF Download will let you know about it and give you the option to download, open, or convert it to HTML.
22. DownThemAll!: This download manager and accelerator makes it easy to download files in Firefox.

Security

Make your online browsing experience safer and more private by taking advantage of these add-ons.

23. NoScript: Pick and choose the sites that you want to allow JavaScript and other executable content to run on.
24. Nuke Anything: Hide almost anything using this add-on in the context menu.
25. FoxyProxy: Stay safe and anonymous by using this add-on that automatically switches your internet connection over proxy servers.
26. Stealther: Surf the web without leaving a trace on your computer whenever you use Stealther.
27. Adblock Plus: Prevent ads from taking over your browser with Adblock Plus.
28. BugMeNot: Pass over compulsory web registration using this handy add-on.
29. Flashblock: This extension will allow you to disable Flash content until you want to view it.

News

Stay on top of the latest and greatest with these handy tools.

30. Feed Sidebar: View items from your Live Bookmarks in the sidebar of your browser with Feed Sidebar.
31. Sage-Too: With this RSS and Atom feed aggregator, you can stay on top of news and updates.

Ease of Use

These add ons are great for making your browsing experience just a little bit easier.

32. Greasemonkey: Greasemonkey is an incredibly useful tool for customizing the way a webpage displays in Firefox.
33. All-in-One Sidebar: This sidebar control will give you access to loads of controls at once.
34. Linkification: Linkification turns plain text into clickable links.
35. ReloadEvery: Set your browser to constantly reload web pages at intervals that you define.
36. ErrorZilla: ErrorZilla turns 404 pages into a useful page with links to the Wayback Machine, Whois, Google Cache, and more.
37. URL Fixer: This add-on will automatically fix your typos in the address bar.
38. Undo Closed Tabs Button: Quickly reopen closed tabs using this simple extension.
39. iMacros: Automate Firefox by recording and replaying repititious work in iMacros.
40. FireGestures: Create customizable mouse gestures that will help you browse faster in FireGestures.

Navigation

Find your way around better with the features these add-ons offer.

41. Tab Scope: Preview and navigate tab contents with the previews Tab Scope offers.
42. Interclue: Find out what’s behind a link before you open it with Interclue.
43. Fast Dial: Get fast access to your favorite sites with these thumbnails.
44. PicLens: Turn Firefox into a visual browser with this extension that makes it easy to find and view online photos and videos.
45. Thumbstrips: See a filmstrip of thumbnails that represent your history and more using ThumbStrips.
46. GooglePreview: Get a quick peek at what your Google search results have to offer with this add-on’s previews.

Shopping

Turn into a power shopper by taking advantage of these add-ons.

47. Firefox Companion for eBay: Stay on top of your eBay auctions using this add-on.
48. Grocery List Generator: Put together recipe ingredients and other necessities using the Grocery List Generator.
49. Yapta: Use the Yapta add-on to find and track fares on airline websites.
50. Plurbio: Get to the bottom line of the reviews on any Amazon item with Plurbio’s instant summaries.

By Christina Laun

While most of us can do math, even the complicated stuff, on our own, using a calculator is usually faster and eliminates a lot of potential errors. You don’t need a desktop model to calculate these days — the Internet is full of calculators that are free for you to use. Here are 100 places where you can go to calculate just about anything and everything.

Basic

Do your basic calculations on these calculators.

1. Scientific Calculator: This calculator contains all the basic functions of a scientific calculator without the need for a separate calculator.
2. MetaCalc: This calculator is about as basic as it gets, with simple addition, subtraction, division and multiplication functions.
3. Geometry Calculator: Figure out the circumference of a circle, volume of a cube, area of a triangle and much more using this geometry calculator.
4. Algebra Calculator: This calculator allows you to input an algebraic equation and figure it out for a particular variable.
5. Calculus Calculator: Find a derivative, an integral, and more using this helpful calculus focused calculator.
6. Virtual Calculator: Here you’ll find a simple scientific calculator for all your calculating needs.
7. Fractions Calculator: Make doing math with fractions super easy by inputing the numbers to this calculator.
8. Square Root Calculator: This calculator makes it easier to figure out square roots in a simple online format.
9. FooPlot Online Graphic Calculator: Don’t pay for expensive graphing calculators: just try out this easy-to-use online graphing calculator.
10. GCalc: This Java-based calculator allows users to graph a variety of functions.
11. 5 Function Calculator: They don’t make calculators any simpler than this, with only 5 functions to choose from.
12. Quadratic Solver: Solve a quadratic equation using this online calculator.
13. Sine Calculator: Make trig a breeze by trying out this sine calculator.
14. Parabola Calculator: Find all the figures you need to know about a parabola by inputting your information into this helpful calculator.

Finances

Crunch the numbers on your finances with these helpful calculators.

15. College Cost Projector: Figure out the projected cost of your college education using this calculator so you’ll know how much to set aside ahead of time.
16. Salary Calculator: Use this calculator to figure out how much you’re worth in various cities across the United States.
17. Inflation Calculator: This calculator can show you how much inflation has changed the value of money from 1800 to 2007.
18. Compound Interest Calculator: Here you’ll be able to easily calculate the compound interest of any size investment.
19. IRS Withholding Calculator: The IRS provides this calculator to help you make sure you’re not withholding too much or too little from your paycheck.
20. Social Security Quick Calculator: Estimate your Social Security benefits using this government sponsored calculator.
21. Cost of Living Calculator: Find out how far your money will go in another city using this calculator to determine the cost of living.
22. Credit Card Debt Calculator: Figure out how long it will take you to pay off your credit card debt using this calculator from Bankrate.com.
23. Savings Calculator: This calculator will help you figure out how much you’ll need to save to meet your goals.
24. Net Worth Calculator: Want to know how much you’re worth? Check out this online calculator for answers.
25. Roth IRA Calculator: Determine if you should switch your traditional IRA over to a Roth IRA using this calculator.
26. Variable Annuity Calculator: Find out how a variable annuity can benefit your long term goals with this calculator.
27. Tax Estimator Calculator: H&R Block provides this calculator which you can use to estimate how much your tax refund will be or if you’ll owe the IRS.
28. Basic Financial Calculator: This calculator from Dinkytown provides all the necessities you need to figure out basic financial calculations.
29. Student Budget Calculator: Most students are on a tight budget, so use this calculator to see what your monthly spending habits should be.
30. Money Counter Calculator: Input the amount of each increment of cash you have, and this calculator will tell you how much you have.

Health and Fitness

These calculators can help ensure you’re staying on track in fitness and health.

31. BMI Calculator: Your BMI can be more important than your weight, so ensure yours is within a healthy range using this calculator.
32. Pregnancy Date Calculator: Use this calculator to figure out when you can expect your bundle of joy based on your past cycles.
33. Life Expectancy Calculator: This calculator uses risk factors to give you an estimate of your life expectancy. Of course it shouldn’t be taken as fact.
34. Exercise Calorie Calculator: Figure out how many calories you’re burning doing your favorite exercises using the helpful tool.
35. Calories Per Day Calculator: Here you’ll find a calculator that can give you an estimate of how many calories you should be eating each day to lose or maintain weight.
36. Basal Metabolism Calculator: Establish your basal metabolism rate by doing a simple calculation here.
37. Target Heart Rate Calculator: Aim to get your heart rate up to the estimate this calculator gives you to get in shape.
38. Ideal Weight Calculator: While true ideal weight is up for debate, this calculator can give you a good estimate of where you should be.
39. Blood Alcohol Content Estimator: This estimation calculator can help you determine how many drinks it takes to get you drunk.
40. Ovulation Calculator: Those trying to get pregnant will appreciate this calculator which can help you determine your next date of ovulation.
41. Cost of Smoking Calculator: Determine how much smoking is really costing you using this calculator.
42. Waist to Hip Measurement Calculator: Studies have shown that waist to hip ratios can be a good indicator of overall fitness. Check yours here.
43. Lose One Pound Calculator: This calculator can give you an idea of how many calories you’ll need to burn or cut out of your diet in order to lose one pound.
44. Lap Time Calculator: Here you’ll find a calculator that can help you determine how long your laps need to be to meet a certain time.
45. Running Calculator: Runners can use this calculator to figure out their time, distance and a number of other fitness goals.

Conversions

Don’t bother remembering complicated conversion formulas, just use these calculators.

46. Currency Conversion Calculator: Whether you’re traveling or just curious about currency conversion, this calculator can take care of your needs.
47. Cooking Conversion Calculator: Make cooking dinner easy with this simple conversion calculator.
48. Metric Conversion Calculator: Don’t let metric conversions confuse you: just plug them into this online calculator.
49. Unit Conversion Calculator: This calculator lets you quickly convert measurements of length, time, pressure and more.
50. Speed Conversion Calculator: Figure out how fast you’re going in miles or kilometers using this conversion tool.
51. Bits/ Bytes Conversion Calculator: Make Internet-based conversions simpler using this calculator which converts bit into bytes and vice versa.
52. Wage and Salary Conversion Calculator: This calculator lets you easily figure out how much you make per hour or per year based on your pay.
53. Decibel Conversion Calculator: Convert decibels to power or voltage using this calculator.
54. Temperature Conversion Calculator: Whether you need to use Fahrenheit, Celsius or Kelvin, this calculator has you covered.
55. Weight Conversion Calculator: No matter what unit of weight you’re trying to use you can find an easy conversion using this calculator.
56. Decimal to Binary Converter Calculator: Nerds will enjoy this calculator which does the work of converting binary to decimals.

Loans and Mortgages

Financing a home or anything else is full of important calculations, and these tools can help you do the math.

57. Mortgage Payment Calculator: Figure out how much you can expect to pay per month based on the cost of your mortgage using this calculator.
58. Mortgage Calculators: These calculators can help you figure out how much you’ll pay each month, how much you can afford and what you’ll be allowed to borrow.
59. Rent vs Buy Calculator: This site can help you figure out if it’s best to rent or buy in the long run.
60. Refinancing Calculator: Calculate how much you could save by refinancing your mortgage using this calculator.
61. Auto Loan Calculator: Your new car may be snappy, but this calculator can let you know how much it will be costing you per month.
62. School Loan Calculator: See how much that student loan will cost you when you have to start paying it off using this handy tool.
63. Amortizing Loan Calculator: This tool will let you know how much you’ll be paying per month or figure out how much you can get for a desired monthly payment.
64. Loan Repayment Calculator: Check out how long it will take you to pay off your loan using this calculator.
65. Mortgage Points Calculator: Find out if you should buy mortgage points or not using this calculator from DinkyTown.
66. Mortgage 15 vs 30: Use this calculator to find out if a 15- or 30-year mortgage is better for your finances.
67. ARM vs Fixed Rate Mortgage: Which is best for you? This calculator can help you figure it out.
68. Mortgage Required Income: Find out how much your income can allow you to borrow using this calculator.

For Fun

These aren’t the most practical calculators, but they can entertain and make your life a little easier.

69. Love Calculator: Determine your compatibility with your love interest based on your names using this just-for-fun calculator.
70. Birthday Calculator: Put your birthday into this calculator and it will tell you what day of the week you were born.
71. Age Calculator: This calculator will tell you how old you are in days, weeks, months or even seconds.
72. Group Work Calculator: Use this calculator to solve word problems or to determine how much time you can save by working together.
73. Horsepower Calculator: Get an estimate of your car’s horsepower using this helpful tool.
74. Dog Years Calculator: Find out how old you (or your pet) is in dog years using this calculator.
75. Leap Year Calculator: This calculator makes it easy to figure out if any year is a leap year.
76. Room Size Calculator: Teachers or anyone else trying to plan out a large room can use this tool to figure out what size you’ll need to fit everything in.
77. Wind Chill Calculator: The thermometer may say one thing but it probably feels like another if there’s much wind outside. This calculator can help you figure out just what the wind chill is.

Everyday Life

Use these helpful online calculators to navigate the numbers in your everyday life.

78. Postage Price Calculator: Put in the weight of your package to determine how much it will cost you to send it using this Post Office tool.
79. Individual Emissions Calculator: Find out the level of your emissions using this calculator.
80. Chef’s Cooking Calculator: Keep things easy around the kitchen no matter what recipe you’re using with this calculator.
81. Carbon Footprint Calculator: Determine your impact on the environment based on this calculator, and figure out ways you can help reduce it.
82. Weather Calculator: Covert wind, pressure, moisture and more with this all purpose weather calculator.
83. Date Duration Calculator: Enter the start and end dates and get the amount of time in between with this helpful calculator.
84. Fuel Cost Calculator: This calculator can help you get an estimate of how much it will cost you to take that road trip.
85. Airport Calculator: Find out the distance between two airports so you’ll know just how far you’re traveling on your next trip by entering your airports in this calculator.
86. Best Price Calculator: Use this calculator to figure out whether it’s better to buy in bulk or just get one item.
87. Day of the Week Calculator: Enter any date into this calculator and find out what day of the week it was or will be.
88. GPA Calculator: Do the math with this calculator to figure out your GPA based on your grades.
89. MPG Calculator: Find out what MPG your car is getting using this calculator.
90. Phone Bill Calculator: Turn this calculator on the next time you make a long distance call to estimate how much it will cost you.
91. Tip Calculator: Figure out how much to tip using this helpful calculator.

Specialty

While these won’t be useful for everyone, certain specialties will find them very helpful.

92. Astro-Physical Calculator: Work with calculations involving the speed of light, mass of protons, parsecs and much more using this highly scientific calculator.
93. Depth of Field Calculator: Photographers can take advantage of this calculator to figure out the depth of field to adjust camera settings.
94. Atomic Mass Calculator: Enter the molecule you want to find the atomic mass for, and this calculator will do the rest.
95. Time, Speed and Distance Calculator: Make doing psychics calculations of time and distance no-brainers by using this calculator.
96. Armor Penetration Calculator: Those working in law enforcement or security can benefit from this calculator which determines the penetration of a gun based on the distance, gun type and angle.
97. Random Distribution Calculator: Use this calculator to come up with a random number.
98. Frequency Wavelength Calculator: Find out where something should be on a radio dial using this calculator.
99. Clinical Calculators: These calculators provide pregnancy estimations, Ballard scores, growth charts and more.
100. Home Improvement Calculators: Find out how much to buy of things like drywall, paint, grass seed and more using these helpful calculators.

By Christina Laun

Architecture can be a challenging and sometimes stressful major, but you can help yourself stay informed and get creative new ideas by keeping on top of the news through the use of the Internet. With many architects blogging, and loads of resources and information out there, it can be well worth your time to check out at least a few blogs in your free time or to help you with a project. Here’s a list of 50 blogs and helpful sites we think are great sources for architecture majors.

Top Blogs

These blogs cover a wide range of subjects and can be great reading material.

1. A Daily Dose of Architecture: Blogger John Hill, a New York City resident and architecture student, posts his almost daily musings on architecture from around the world.
2. anArchitecture: This blog is written by Austrian Christoph Wassmann and contains a variety of links, news and commentary on the field of architecture.
3. BLDGBLOG: Written by Archinect team member, writer and editor for DWELL magazine Geoff Manaugh, this blog contains posts on design, architecture and landscape design.
4. a456: Here you’ll find a variety of thoughts, commentary and ideas on design and architecture from Enrique Ramirez, a Ph.D. student in History and Theory of Architecture at Princeton.
5. Archinect: While not a single blog in itself, this site brings together architecture blogs from schools around the world in order to create a more cohesive and collaborative field.
6. City of Sound: This blog covers a range of issues from music to architecture. It’s written by a director at Monocle, Dan Hill, who explores the relationship between form and function in the buildings and cities we inhabit.
7. Inhabitat: Here you’ll find green and sustainable design news, especially on issues related to architecture.
8. Interactive Architecture: Diploma thesis tutor Ruairi Glynn created this blog as a place to collect ideas about how students at the Bartlett School of Architecture and elsewhere can create architectural installations that require interaction and activity.
9. Pruned: This blog is dedicated to showing how landscape forms a big part of overall design, and the blog is written by landscape architect Alexander Trevi.
10. Super Colossal: Based in Australia, this design firm’s blog covers issues related to a range of design and architecture related topics.

Architecture News

Stay on the edge of the field of architecture with these news-filled blogs.

11. ArchNewsNow: This blog makes it easy to keep up with the latest and greatest moves in the architecture world. You can read the blog or sign up for the newsletter to get news delivered right to you.
12. Architecture Planet: This site aggregates news from sites all over the Web that have to do with architecture. You can find a wide range of stories, information and links to keep you busy.
13. Modern Architecture Design News: Find loads of pictures and news stories about the latest in modern architecture on this blog.
14. Architecture Lab: This online magazine and news site provides access to all kinds of new and up-to-date information on architecture.

Blogs By Architects

Check out these blogs by architects to see what other kind of work is being done out there.

15. Architecture: This blogger is an architect in a big firm in Singapore, and the blog focuses on new ideas and urban living, especially in Singapore and surrounding areas.
16. Life Without Buildings: While the title of this blog may imply otherwise, it’s actually all about architecture. You’ll find hundreds of photos and commentary on modern buildings and postmodern design.
17. Architecture + Morality: Three bloggers, a civil engineer, an architect and a pastor, use this blog as a forum to discuss a range of social issues behind architecture.
18. Arkitec TRUE: Run by Long Beach architect Yelda Horozoglu, this blog covers ideas on urban planning, design and architecture.
19. Continuity in Architecture: This blog is a teaching forum created by architecture professors at the Manchester School of Architecture and contains a scholarly perspective on architecture related themes.
20. Tessellar: The author of this blog, architect Mazlin Ghazali, resides in Malaysia and describes his idea to create communities based on a honeycomb based shape in order to create a better layout for communities and housing.
21. The Architecture of Fear: This blog was created by George Agnew during his time at Columbia University’s School of Architecture and explores the ideas of how architecture functions with war, terror and fear.

Green Building Blogs

Green and sustainable building is a big part of architecture these days, so learn all about it on these sites.

22. BLYGAD: The name of this blog, which stands for Blog Like You Give a Damn, is written by Colin Kloecker for the Architecture for Humanity in Minnesota. This organization is focused on creating sustainable architecture worldwide.
23. Earth Architecture: This blog is dedicated to buildings that have been constructed from natural materials like dirt, mud and bricks.
24. Eco Tecture: Here you’ll find information that focuses on green build projects in cities like Chicago, Brooklyn and London.
25. Treehugger: While this blog focuses on a number of issues related to environmentalism, it contains a large section on green architecture and design, which can be a great resource for those interested in the cutting edge of green building.
26. greenbuildingsNYC: Check out the latest green buildings in NYC and plans for new construction on this eco-focused blog.

Architecture Photography Blogs

These blogs focus on documenting architecture through photos and can not only be a good read but great eye candy as well.

27. FotoFacade: Architectural photographer Andy Marshall shares his photos in this extensive photography blog, with both new and old buildings being represented.
28. B.E.L.T: Standing for Build Environment in Layman’s Terms, this blog contains photography and commentary by professional Toby Weiss.
29. URBANPHOTO: This blog contains photos from all over the world of urban environments, buildings and people.
30. Bluejake: This amateur photographer shares his photos of New York City, both of the architecture within it and the people who reside there. New photos are posted regularly.
31. Chicago Uncommon: Here you’ll find photos from all over Chicago of the buildings, gardens and more that make up its neighborhoods and landmarks.
32. The Urban Observer: This blog not only offers regular photography but commentary, observations and more that deal with the urban environment in Chicago and cities all over.
33. Eye Candy: Blogger and architect Eric shares photos of buildings old and new from all over, with the purpose of improving the level of design.
34. Offbeat Homes: Browse through photos of all kinds of unique homes in this fun blog.

Landscape Architecture Blogs

Those more interested in the landscape around the buildings rather than the buildings themselves can find some pertinent information on landscape architecture in these blogs.

35. Aesthetic Grounds: Written by landscape architect and public artist Glenn Weiss, this blog focuses on projects that get people involved with their environments through art and design.
36. Free Soil: This blog’s purpose is to share ideas about landscape design that work to create effective landscapes that work with their natural settings to create sustainable and functional outdoor spaces.
37. Land + Living: Here you’ll find news on landscape design issues from all over the world that focus on thoroughly modern design.
38. The Dirt: The American Society of Landscape Architects runs this blog which shares news and views on ongoing projects and conceptions throughout the nation.
39. Turned Earth: The blog of landscape design firm O’Connell Landscape, this blog covers design, planting furniture and anything else that forms part of an outdoor environment.

Reference and Publications

These sites provide reference material and access to online publications on architecture.

40. Center for Universal Design: This group aims to make buildings accessible to all people, even those with limiting disabilities. Ensure your designs allow for all to enjoy them by giving this site a look.
41. ArtLex Dictionary of Visual Art: Find definitions of thousands of art and architecture terms in this helpful reference tool.
42. TechStreet: If you want to build things you need to know what building and safety codes you’ll need to comply with. This site provides an easy place to find all the information you need on these and more.
43. Architectural Record: This publication from McGraw Hill shares news and articles in this regularly updated online format.
44. Architype Review: Here you’ll find a forum to discuss architectural typologies like schools, libraries, parking garages and more, and how these types affect design. It can be a great place to look if you’re trying to think outside of the box for new designs.

Buildings and Architects

Get some background on great buildings and famous architects from these resources.

45. Great Buildings: From country to country and throughout time, this site covers the great buildings and is a great reference and inspirational site.
46. AGRAM: This site focuses on some of history’s most important architects, providing background information and photos of their well-known buildings.
47. ArchINFORM: Here you’ll find a huge online database of architects and buildings which has been described as one of the most useful architecture resources on the Internet.
48. High Rise Buildings Database: Love skyscrapers? You can read all about them with information from this site.
49. National Register of Historic Places: Find out what buildings hold historical significance in your city or anywhere in the United States.
50. Famous Architects: This site brings together a huge archive of information on the world’s most famous and influential architects and can be a great reference for a class project.

By Heather Johnson

With the popularity of Library 2.0, libraries are getting more complicated these days, and it’s becoming harder to make sure that everyone is happy. You have to stay on top of online collections, new library programs, websites, and more. Read on to find out how you can make these and other components of your library better, and make life easier for yourself and the people that visit your library.

General

Consider these tips when looking at overall ways to improve usability in your library.

1. Conduct a usability study: Gather some of your patrons, ask them to find something in the library, and analyze their behavior.
2. Make use of what users already know: Model your design after things that your user is likely to be familiar with already.
3. Use descriptive wording: Instead of using project names for something, call it what it really is. For example, instead of calling a search engine "Find It!," simply call it a search engine, or "Find It! Search Engine."
4. Avoid overwhelming users: Give enough information to provide guidance, but not so much that they’ll be confused.
5. Be friendly: No one wants to visit a library where the staff is rude and unhelpful.
6. Consider your users: When creating usable design, think about your users and how they’ll be utilizing what you create.
7. Use common terms: Make sure the words you’re using are easily understood by users.
8. Aim to save time: Make it a goal to help your visitors navigate information quickly.
9. Make your library desirable: Design and market your library in a way that makes people want to use it.

Website

Make your website easy to use and navigate with these tips.

10. Be consistent: Use the same fonts and design elements on all of your library’s pages so that users always know they’re still on your site.
11. Put a help link on every page: Don’t leave users stranded. Give them a way to get help no matter where they are.
12. Use templates: Create a template for your site, and base the design of all pages on that template.
13. Make your catalog search incredibly easy to find: Most visitors to your library’s website will be looking for items, so be sure to make it easy for them to find what they’re looking for right away.
14. Check for errors: Make sure that your site does not have any broken links or grammatical errors that will undermine the quality and authority of the library.
15. Create effective navigation: Use navigation that is simple and easy to understand.
16. Put your most important information up top: Avoid making your patrons scroll to find information. Put all of your most used functions and information high in the display field.
17. Check for accessibility: Ensure that your website is usable for everyone by assessing your site’s accessibility.
18. Be action-oriented: Let users choose what they want to do, like "reserve an item."
19. Meet specific goals and tasks: Consider what your site’s visitors are coming to do, and make it easy for them to do it.
20. Design for quick loading: Don’t make users wait around for information. Create a quick loading website.
21. Create a footer "mullet": Put all of your fun stuff like Flickr images, news, and events in your footer.
22. Leave bread crumbs: Show your users where they should go by putting lots of links in your website’s text.
23. Use lots of white space for important elements: Place a good deal of white space around important site elements like your search box in order to draw attention to them.
24. Create a task-centered home page: Instead of overwhelming visitors with information, give them areas where they can do tasks like search for a book or get directions to the library.
25. Make your search as Google-like as possible: Most visitors will intuitively understand how to do searches on Google, so model your search after theirs so that they’ll be able to use it easily.
26. Offer larger font sizes: Allow users to choose what size text they’d like to use for your site.

Catalog & Search

Follow these tips, and you’ll make finding information incredibly easy.

27. List your availability: When users search for an item, let them know how many you have available, or when they’re expected to be back in the library.
28. Offer a reservation system: If you don’t have an item currently in the library, allow users to sign up to get it when it comes available.
29. Offer filtering: Allow your visitors to place filters on their search, like non-fiction and poetry, to find exactly what they’re looking for without working through a lot fo what they