Slideshow: Create new Libraries in Windows 7 and increase productivity

By default, each of Windows 7's Libraries is configured to collect files from two locations

To begin, when you open a Library, you'll see a header that tells you how many locations that Library is currently configured to monitor. For example, the Pictures Library is by default configured to collect files from two locations.

The two default locations come from the Pictures folders in the current user account and the Public account

When you click on that link, you'll see the Pictures Library Locations dialog box. As you can see, the two default locations come from the Pictures folders in my user account and the Public account. You'll use the Library Locations dialog box to add and remove locations, as well as keep tabs on which locations are in the Library. (Each of the other three Libraries has a similar Library Locations dialog box.)

When you click the Add button, you'll see a standard browse dialog box called Include Folder in Pictures where you can add folders from any location to which you have access.

Just click the Include a folder button to get started

Creating your own Libraries

Creating your own Libraries is easy; access the Libraries folder and click the New Library button on the Command Bar. You can see that button in Figure A. As soon as the new Library is created, you can assign it a name. Let's suppose that you want to create a new Library to keep track of all the documents related to a new project that you and your team are working on called the Ideas Project.

To continue, just click on the new Library, when you do, you will see that it is empty and can begin adding folder locations by clicking the Include a folder button. When you do, you'll see a standard browse folder and you can select the folder that you want to include.

You can add specific folders to your Library to make it easy to find related documents

To add additional folders, click the locations link to access a Library Locations dialog box like the one shown above. As you can see, I have added three folders from three different locations to the Ideas Project Library on my system. Now, whenever I need to find documents related to the Ideas Project, I will be able to find them easily without having to rummage around multiple locations.