Streamline Cloud Storage Sharing with Virtual Binders

Are you tired of the chaos that comes with sharing resources from online storage sites? With email, it’s easy to manage the sharing of individual files for a particular task, but when it comes to sharing multiple resources to multiple people, email quickly becomes an unmanageable place for everyone.

Since the pandemic, schools and workplaces have been seeing the benefits of maintaining resources in cloud-based repositories so that everyone can access files no matter where they are located. But sharing resources directly from these cloud repositories can quickly become chaotic and messy over time.

The pitfalls of sharing resources from online storage sites are many. When you’re working with filing systems, everyone has their own organization styles and preferences, which can be confusing and time-consuming for others. Also, when you give people access to a drive or folder for the purpose of sharing resources, you end up with a messy folder of reorganized files, nesting folders with strange naming conventions, copies of the original files with similar file names, and some additional files that you have no idea how they got in there in the first place.

So, what’s the solution? Virtual binders! Virtual binders offer a solution to your cloud storage sharing woes because you can visually organize your documents in tabs so that your stakeholders go directly to the document, instead of to a folder of files. Each document is represented by a tab and organized in such a way that it is intuitively easy for them to navigate through – just like a binder.

LiveBinders is the best choice for your digital binder solution for sharing cloud resources. The main benefit of using LiveBinders is you can keep the secure location of your file right where you need it. You can keep your files in their original location, and LiveBinders just needs the URL to add to a tab. You maintain control of your security. The key is that the presentation of your cloud files is much simpler and more intuitive to your stakeholders.

LiveBinders offers a host of other benefits, including customization, fixed structure for organizing tabs, collaboration, and more. You can label and color-code tabs to organize your information in a way that makes sense for your team. Unlike online folders, when you share a binder, you can’t mistakenly share the editing rights to your binders. Your viewers can only see the files they need to see, and they can’t mistakenly remove that file from your binder or add more to the binder than was intended. You can even invite team members to help you add and remove content in your binders.

Don’t wait to spend another year working in a messy environment. Take the first step towards streamlining your distribution of documents and resources with LiveBinders today!

Sign up to for a demo and learn more about how our platform can help you improve your productivity and collaboration.

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Digital Binders and Marking Files as Private: A Customer’s Support Question Answered

Recently, one of our customers had a support question that we thought would be worth sharing with you.

Are you familiar with our “Mark File Private” feature? It’s a useful option available with a subscription plan that can help you restrict the views of any documents you upload in LiveBinders.

For those of you who are new to LiveBinders, LiveBinders offers a web application that lets you create digital binders. Digital binders are a way to organize and display online content in a Web browser, where each URL is represented by tabs similar to what you would see in a 3-ring binder. When we refer to ‘files’, we refer to desktop documents that are uploaded into a digital binder. Our digital binders can have certain access restrictions assigned to them like “private” and “public” but so can the files that are uploaded into the binders.

The support question we had was from a customer who was viewing her colleague’s LiveBinder, but was not able to see some of the content. In some tabs, the document would display, but in other tabs she saw a message shown below indicating that the file was private. 

When you upload a document to LiveBinders, we assign it it’s own unique URL.  Before you upload it, though, you have the option to click on the “Mark File Private” option. When selected, it will add a “private” tag to the URL in our system. The file’s URL will then have restrictions that prevent it from being viewed outside of the private binder it is added to. In other words, “private” files are only viewable in “private” binders.

So what happened? When our customer was viewing her colleagues binder, the binder was mistakenly set to “public” so any files that were marked as “private” did not display in the binder. Once her colleague made the binder private again, she was able to see all the documents in the binder, including those that were marked as “private.”

The general rule to remember is that if you mark a file as “private” you only have 1 option for making it visible to your audience, and that is to make sure the binder is set to “private” as well.

So why would you want to mark a document as “private”? 

It’s useful if you want to prevent anyone to view a document outside of the binder you are sharing it with. A person could copy the file’s link and paste it in an email, social media post or website page where it could then be viewed by an unwanted audience. The “private” tag keeps your uploaded content restricted to displaying only in the private binders that it was add to. Although every LiveBinder is automatically set to “private,” if a user mistakenly changes a binder to “public,” the “private” files stay protected.

If you want to learn more about this feature, feel free to contact us using our Contact Form and mention “Learn more about private files.”

We hope this information is helpful to you!

Best way to optimize binders for Mobile devices

Recently we received a support question from a college professor who wanted to “meet students where they are” and was asking how to best optimize her binders for viewing on mobile devices. We thought this would be a great post to share with you.

Viewing binders with our mobile app vs mobile browser:

Anyone can view a binder without needing to sign up for a LiveBinders account, however, you need an account if you are having your viewers viewing your binder from our App.

So unless you want your viewers to also create binders, we recommend letting them view your binder through the browser on their mobile device instead of using our App. They can then save that link to their device’s home screen to easily return to it when needed. The binder will always update with the latest content every time they click on it from their device. To access your binder from their device, you can email them the link to your binder or host it on your website.

The other option is to create a QR code for your binder  (available in your LiveBinders editor. See  “Content>QR Code” button options), and they can scan it and have it saved in their QR code app. 

FYI – If you are making the binder private, be sure to create a private access key so they can view the binder. 

Hiding tabs for more viewing space:

When viewing a binder on a phone the tabs will always appear to the left – regardless of how you set it – so that there is more viewing space for the content. However, you can create more space by clicking the arrow icon located to the right of the first tab that will give your viewers the option to hide or display the tabs on the left. Be sure to let them know when you share your binder.

Launching content full screen:

Any content that you link or upload to a binder tab can always be viewed outside of the binder – your audience just needs to click on the URL provided at the top of the tab so they can view it full screen. We recommend launching the file full screen for the best viewing experience.

Tab layout recommendations:

You can choose a text layout option that lets you write content next to the resource that you are adding to your binder.  When viewing on a phone device, the appearance will be vertically displayed rather than side by side.

If you choose text/media, the main body text will appear before the media file that you add or upload.

If you select media/text the media file will appear before the text content.

For a better viewing experience on the phone, we recommend adding any text in its own tab and any supporting material that you upload as subtabs so they can be viewed full screen.

Uploading Word Doc or PDFs:

When viewing files in a binder from a laptop we usually recommend clicking on the URL provided at the top of the tab page so that the file opens full screen. iOS and Android will treat each one differently.

iOS – Will give you the option to “view” or “download” a Word or PDF file. We recommend “view” unless they specifically have an App that can run both files.

Android – for either Microsoft or PDFs the file will download and will give the viewer the choice to pick an App to view the file in.

Hopefully these tips are useful for you.  If you have any further questions, feel free to contact us to help you at support @ livebinders.

Data Threat Dashboards at Your Fingertips

Keeping live data where you can easily find it.

In the very early days of COVID, I had initially been following stories through NHK-TV on my television. Once it became clear that COVID was spreading rapidly, I didn’t know where to get trusted information about how the virus was spreading. Then, I discovered a binder created by John Dahlgren, an instructor at Buttle College and an avid user of LiveBinders. John had put COVID resources into a public binder called COVID-19 Dashboard Information that included the John’s Hopkins live data feed dashboard. It was the first binder I opened every day for 6 months watching the numbers grow by the 1000s. It became so useful for me that I added the website dashboard to one of my own go-to binders so that I could have one binder opened with all of my applications in one place.

I also loved being able to manage all of my applications from a central location – kind of like a gateway portal to my web applications, like Google, Slack, Canvas, etc. This way I didn’t have to keep all my browser tabs open all the time, taxing my computer. The online binder acts as an easy and affordable way to quickly create a dashboard for accessing my go-to applications everyday.

Since that time John has created another useful dashboard binder called the Data Threat Dashboard Information that I also became interested in using. It is on cyber security data threats across the globe. When Ukraine was attacked by Russia in February 2022, I was curious to see if any data threat activity had increased and where it was directed. In this binder, I could get a quick summary just by viewing the dynamic visual effects. I found it so fascinating that I invited John to join me in a podcast to explain what each of the dashboards are telling us, and I am excited to share this information with you.

Please listen to our podcast or view the episode on our Youtube channel. Transcripts, podcast and YouTube URLs are available in our Podcast binder. And feel free to open his Data Thread Dashboard binder to follow along.

Best File Format for Viewing Files in a Binder.

A frequent support question we’ve been getting these last couple of weeks has to do with why some uploaded files do not display in a binder.  We thought it might be a useful post to share with other users who might be uploading documents to their binders for the first time.

Usually, the file type that they are asking about are Microsoft office files like Word, Excel or PowerPoint. Although you can upload any file type into your binder, the ones that are browser friendly will be viewable from inside your binder tab.  When they don’t, it is usually because the file type still requires the desktop application to run that file.

So for example, if you are uploading Word documents, those file types require Microsoft Word to open the file. In those cases, your viewers need to download the file, and then open it in the Word application.  

When you upload a desktop dependent file type like Word into your binder, we create a thumbnail with instructions to your viewer to click on the hyperlink under the thumbnail to trigger the file to download. This is similar to what they would do in a typical web page. The thumbnail looks like a Word icon as shown in the example above.

Use PDF files for a better reading experience:

To make your document viewable in the binder, you can export those Microsoft files as PDFs. They display in the binder tab because Adobe made it easier for browsers to open their file for you. Below is an example of a PDF that is viewable from inside a binder tab.

Learn how to export to a PDF:

If you would like to learn how to export your Microsoft documents, Microsoft provides an easy way to export to a PDF. 

While you are in your Microsoft file, go to the File Menu in your document and choose “Export” towards the bottom of the side-menu screen. A new window will open and you can click on “Create PDF.”

We provide screenshots and instructions of how to export to PDF in our Help Guide Binder.

If you love using 3-ring binders in your workspace and would like to use something similar to organize your online, digital content, feel free to try a free binder at livebinders.com.

Student-to-Adult Transitions-A 21st Century Guide for Parents and Teens

Lisa Washington has created a online binder with invaluable resources to help teachers, parents and students prepare for life after high school.

Click image to launch new podcast episode, and access to Lisa’s Student-to-Adult Transitions binder

It’s not often that I get the chance to learn first hand about the types of projects our users are working on every day, so I was fortunate to have an opportunity to engage with Lisa Washington regarding her Arkansas Transition Portfolio Manual LiveBinder.

Lisa is a student-to-adult transition consultant for the Arkansas Transition Services team at Dawson Education Service Cooperative.  Lisa and her team train teachers and consultants to help prepare parents and their high school students with special needs to transition to life as adults.

Lisa’s goal was to organize all the material into an online binder so that parents and students could access the resources outside of the school environment, and long after they graduate.

While working with Lisa, I soon discovered that although her resources target students with IEPs or 504s, they are also relevant for any high school parent and student. For this reason, I invited Lisa to share her project with us. As a mother of young adult daughters, the realization that I no longer have access to my daughters private information was eye-opening, and I believe this information would be beneficial to all parents of high school students. 

In addition to the invaluable resources Lisa provides, I also candidly share the epiphany I had working with Lisa as she tried to organize her resources into an online binder for 3 different stakeholders – teachers, parents and students.  Anyone who curates material for an audience will appreciate the challenges we faced and the realization we had when we saw that working with a simple outline can help address a major issue of going digital.

Our podcast co-host Linda Houle joins me as we have Lisa lead us through the 5 areas of preparation that a student needs to go through to start their #adulting journey.

To access the podcast link, Lisa’s binder, and the podcast transcript, please click this link.  From there, you will be able to download her resources and/or launch her website forms directly from her binder.

New Update: Email Verification and a Note to Teachers with Student Accounts

Photo by Torsten Dettlaff on Pexels.com

When you sign up for a new LiveBinders account, you will need to verify your email address before you can create the account. This is a standard security practice for most online applications.

This does not impact our paid subscribers or our existing free users except when they change their email from their My Profile page. When the email address is changed, a verification email is automatically sent to the new address.

NOTE: For teachers who have students creating accounts under their email address, it is recommended that teachers verify their email before the students sign up.

How to verify your email.

Screenshot of your My Profile page highlighting the Confirm Email section

First, please check your My Profile page to confirm that the address is accurate.

If your email is correct, go to the section in your account that says “Confirm Email” and click on the “Send Email” button to send the verification email to that address. Once you receive the verification email, open it and click on the button marked “Confirm email.”

If you need to change your email address, add your new email to the address field, then hit the ‘save’ button. An email will automatically be sent to that new address. Once you receive the verification email, open it and click on the button marked “Confirm email.”

Example email with the Confirm Email button at the bottom of the page

As always, if you have any issues with verifying your email, please contact us at support @ livebinders.com.

New Update: Adding the Option for Multi-Factor Authentication.

Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com

What did we do?

We recently released an update to our site that gives you the option to log into your LiveBinders account using Two-Factor authentication, also known as Multi-Factor Authentication or “MFA.” This is a secure way to prevent any uninvited hackers into your LiveBinders account.

You can enable this MFA option from your My Profile page after you log into your account. NOTE: If you are already using Google Single Sign-on to log in, which has it’s own MFA, you do not need to enable our MFA. But, if you decide to switch, you will need to first create a password in your LiveBinders account, and then you can enable your MFA.

Why Use an Authenticator App.

Did you know that hackers can redirect your text messages or gain access to your phone carrier and then access your text messages? Using text messages as a means to receive your two-factor login code is less secure than an authenticator app because it is easier for hackers to gain access to your text messages online, than it is to physically access your phone.

With an authenticator app, a code is temporarily generated that you get through the App and it expires within a certain time period.

How to Enable your MFA

1. Install the Google Authenticator App on your phone. Go to your App store on your phone and search for “Google Authenticator.” Make sure it is created by Google, LLC.
2. Log into your LiveBinders account and go to your “My Profile” page.
3. Scroll down to Multi-Factor Authentication section and click on “Set Up” button.
4. Scan the QR Code with your Authenticator App and type in the Code that is generated into the empty box.
5. Click “Continue” It will give you a success message letting you know that the next time you log in, you will need to use your Authentic.

To see screenshots and more, please go to our Help Guide binder.

New Update: Resetting Forgotten Passwords

Photo by Miguel u00c1. Padriu00f1u00e1n on Pexels.com

What’s New?

In our next software update, there will be a change to the way we handle forgotten passwords. When you click on the “Forgot Password” link on the login window, it will ask you to type in your email address on your account.

Once we find your email address in the system, we will send you an email with a link to reset your password. That link will open a window where you can set your new password. Once that is confirmed, you will have to log into your account in a new window.

Why did we change the way we send forgotten password information.

Sending a reset link to your email address is a more secure way to reset the password on your account. It limits the visibility to your password only to you as the owner of the account. All passwords are encrypted when they are stored in our database, so we are not able to view or share your passwords in our system.

If you’ve forgotten your password, the only way to get back into your account, is to reset a new password by emailing you that reset link. NOTE: If you do not have an active email in your account, you will not be able to receive the reset link. We recommend you check the email in your My Profile the next time you log in, and make sure it is an active address.

To see screenshots and learn more about resetting your passwords, see our Help Guide Binder.

What is a Virtual Binder?

Going from 3-ring binders to virtual binders

Are you looking for a digital solution that will mirror your experience with paper and 3-ring binders? Searching online can return a variety of terms: Is it a virtual or digital binder you need? Do any of those terms describe a binder that can exist in the cloud such as an online binder?

A virtual binder is a paperless version of a binder.  And like the term “digital binder,” it doesn’t necessarily mean that the binder is online. It may just exist on your desktop computer and not be cloud-based.

But for many people looking for cloud-based solutions, a virtual or digital binder has to be easily updated and accessed in real time by others. With remote learning and remote work environments, “virtual” generally implies online as in “virtual office,” “virtual library,” and “virtual meetings.” These terms all describe a place that exists online to mimic the effects of a physical location. A virtual binder, then, can be a place you organize other online resources, similar to the way you’d organize paper in a physical binder.

If the solution you are looking for needs to be cloud-based, then the LiveBinders’ virtual, online binder platform might offer you the right solution for your sharing needs.

Virtual binders for your virtual library

For over 10 years, LiveBinders has been the virtual place for teachers to organize class exercises and reference materials; where administrators organize staff handbooks and board meeting notes; and where small businesses organize product catalogues, onboarding manuals, and training material. What makes our online binders their first choice is the intuitive navigation and the flexible framework for packaging media and links in the context of a physical 3-ring binder – but with so much more to offer because it is online.

Check out our Virtual binder page to learn more about how to get started.

Automatic Logout Implemented

Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com

We’ve been continually improving the security for our LiveBinders platform, and one recent addition we’ve implemented is to automatically log you out of your LiveBinders account after 8 hours of inactivity. This may have come as a bit of a surprise to our long-time customers who have been accustomed to always being logged in when they are ready to access their account.

As always, if you are going to be away from your computer or will be accessing your computer at home, please make sure to log out of your account or close the browser window you are logged into.

MedZed: LiveBinders and Virtual Training

On our recent podcast we featured LiveBinders’ curators Dana Yousef and Esther Benons from MedZed, a telehealth company that works with high risk patients in their homes. Their nurses and physicians work both virtually and in person with their patients. Their use of LiveBinders within their Microsoft Teams portal has made training easier for everyone. In this highlight clip from the podcast, Esther shares her insight about how they meet the training requirements of different staff members in a post-COVID workplace using LiveBinders.

UNLIKELY HEROES DEFINE SUCCESS

Role models inspire us in a positive way. Children’s first role models are their parents and caretakers, and as they grow, they look to others to inspire them.  We look to those who have overcome social, economic, cultural, or physical challenges to reach goals they’ve set out for themselves.

In our LiveBinders podcast, Success in the Deaf and Blind Communities, Chris Tabb, Mobility Specialist at the Texas School for the Blind and Visually Impaired, talked about finding inspirational people who have overcome hardships in his online binder: Role Models: Blind and Deafblind. He created the binder to provide blind, visually impaired, and deaf-blind students, and their parents, information about people with similar disabilities — many of whom have gone on to achieve great success in their careers all while living independent lives. What is revealing about this insight is that these role models are inspirational for all of us.

I love what Susie Tiggs, Texas Statewide Lead for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing Services said about their students:  “And so, you know, deaf doesn’t mean can’t, blind doesn’t mean can’t. Deafblind doesn’t mean can’t. It’s different.”

Follow the link below to learn more about these amazing role models..

https://www.livebinders.com/b/2697227

Photo by Prateek Katyal on Unsplash

Veteran Curators’ Secret Weapon to Saving Internet Resources

Classroom built time machine

Calling the WayBack Machine! Did you know that the World Wide Web will celebrate the 30th anniversary of its first publicly available website on August 6? Since that historic day in 1991, the number of users, devices, websites, and online content has been increasing daily and is not likely to stop growing any time soon. However, not everything stays alive on the Internet.  For every piece of new information added, older content will go missing whether it’s a website going down – such as an individual blog – or a publisher archiving a newspaper article.

As a curator of web content, how often do you find that a valuable resource link just disappears? What can you do to safeguard the integrity of an original source of information?

Enter the Internet Archive, a digital public library that provides free access to books, web pages, audio recordings, videos, images, and software. Through it’s Wayback Machine, you can enter a URL and look for a previous version of a website or webpage, possibly already archived. 

Users of the Wayback Machine can even ask to index a page for the archive! Wayback addins, extensions, and apps for Firefox, Chrome, Safari, Android and iOS assist with the process. For our LiveBinders members, the Wayback Machine offers you the ability to archive valuable resources making your binder content more relevant to your viewers.

Here is an example of how I share a newspaper article archived by the Wayback Machine in my 20th Century Decades Resources LiveBinder.