This document provides an overview of Gmail and Google Drive. Gmail is a free email service created by Google that also provides access to Google Drive. Google Drive is a file storage and sharing solution that allows users to create, edit and collaborate on documents, spreadsheets and presentations from any internet connected device. The document demonstrates how to access and use basic functions of Google Drive, such as creating folders and documents, sharing files, adding comments, and viewing revision histories.

1. STCC Library Tech Talk
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What is Gmail?
● A free, web based electronic mail service created by Google
● Access gmail at mail.google.com and creae an account!
● Having a Gmail account gives you access to Google drive which offers Google Docs,
Sheets and Slides (the equivalent to MS office suite Word, Excel and PowerPoint)
● Many academic institutions use gmail as their official email service, including STCC
● A gmail account can look something like this:
○ jdoe@stcc.edu (faculty/staff gmail at STCC)
○ jdoe0001@student.stcc.edu (student email at STCC)
○ doej@gmail.com (personal gmail account)

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Gmail looks like this

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What is Google Drive?
● A web based file storage solution created by Google
● Users can create, edit, collaborate and share files across devices and with
multiple users
● Google drive includes Google Docs, Sheets and Slides (the equivalent to MS
office suite Word, Excel and PowerPoint)
● Access to Google Drive is through a Google mail (gmail) account
● Users have access to up to 15GB free cloud storage space. Student gmail
accounts have unlimited storage. Others can purchase more storage if
needed

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Google Drive looks like this

6. ● Cloud based computing, works everywhere there is internet connectivity. No software to
install, no USB to cart around; it is just there when you need it
● Unlimited amount of storage when you have a gmail account (through an academic
institution or business)
● Saves your work automatically
● Allows you to collaborate, share, comment (written and voice) and chat/instant message,
simultaneously
● Easy to use
● It is free
Why use Google Drive?
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7. ● Translate a document to a different language
● Email your documents to other people as
attachments
● View your document's revision history and return to
any previous version
● Add “flair” and formatting to your documents by
adjusting margins, spacing, fonts, and colors, images
— all that fun stuff
● Use on all devices (iPad, iPhone, Android, PC’s)
Here’s what you can do with Google Drive:
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● Create a new document or upload a Microsoft
office document and convert it to a Google
document
● Download a Google document to your desktop
as a Word, OpenOffice, RTF, PDF, HTML or zip
file
● Invite/share with other people to collaborate on
a document with you, giving them edit,
comment or view access
● Collaborate online in real time and chat with
other collaborators — right from inside the
document

8. ● Have a gmail account (STCC students, Faculty and staff have access to gmail)
● Log-in to your gmail account
● Click on
● Click on
How to use Google Drive
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Click on drive to get to all of the
different types of documents/folders
Select the document type that you
want from those listed

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Now, let’s practice using Google Drive!

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Step 1: Log-in to your gmail

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Step 2: Access Google Drive
Click here
Click here
You should get
a screen that
looks like this
(minus the three
folders if you
haven’t used
Google Drive
before!)

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Step 3: Create a new document
Click New >Document
Select Document type >
Type some text into your new document
Step 4: Name your new
document:
Click File >Rename
(or click on Untitled
document in top left corner,
which becomes highlighted
in blue, type in name of
your document)

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Step 5: Share your document:
Click Share >Share with others.
Enter the email address of the person(s) you’d like to
share the document with. Decide what type of access
they can have (edit, view, comment), then click
“Done”.

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Step 6: Add a comment to your
document. There are two ways to
do this:
Insert a comment: Select a place in your
document to leave a comment. Then
Click Insert > Comment
The comment will include the
commenter’s username and a time/date
stamp. Comments, once seen and editing
occurs, can be removed by selecting the
“resolve” tab.
Insert text in a different color: To show
that a different user is typing,
collaborators can use different text colors
to indicate authorship. To do this, a
collaborator can simply type anywhere in
the document. Then highlight the text and
click on the capital “A” in the middle of the
toolbar and choose any of the colors that
drop down. All of the selected text will
change to the new color

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Step 7: Create a Folder to place your
document in.
You can do this in one of two ways:
1. Exit out of your document. From
the Google Drive home page
Click New > Folder
Name your new Folder
Drag your document into the folder
2. Within your document, click on
the folder icon, create a new folder or
select an existing one, to move your
document into
Click on the folder icon, here

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Step 8: Return to your new document. View your
options of what to do with your completed
document under the “File” tab.
You will see

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Step 9: See your Revision History (especially
good for collaborative projects):
Click File > See revision history
This shows you who made what changes when!

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Step 10: When you have finished
creating your document, simply
click the “x” on the document tab to
close the document. If you need to
access your document again, click
the tab labeled “My Drive - Google
Drive”

19. Keep your documents and files in order!!!!
A tip to consider...
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Use Folders to organize your files by topic/subject

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Upcoming Tech Talks
February 2017
Topic: Using Gmail and Google Drive
Date: Wednesday, February 15, 12:15 p.m. - 1:15 p.m.
Location: Bldg. 27/129
March 2017
Topic: What's the Big Deal about Fake News?!
Date: Monday, March 6, 12:15 p.m. - 1:15 p.m.
Location: Bldg. 27/129
April 2017
Topic: Citations: Ins and Outs
Date: Wednesday, April 5, 12:15 p.m. - 1:15 p.m.
Location: Bldg. 27/129
May 2017
Topic: Saving Your Family History
Date: Wednesday, May 3, 12:15 p.m. - 1:15 p.m.
Location: Bldg. 27/129

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Thank you!
To access these slides online and/or to leave
feedback, visit:
http://libguides.stcc.edu/Techtalks
Anna Bognolo
STCC Library Outreach/Tech Services Librarian
agbognolo@stcc.edu
x4565