In between all the AI tools that do the same thing as each other with slightly different interfaces, Google's AI-powered research assistant, NotebookLM, is one of the few that feels like it was built to solve a real problem. Ultimately, it stands out from the rest.
Users clearly saw that too, and NotebookLM quickly gained traction and went viral for its Audio Overviews feature. As a result, Google has been consistently adding new features to NotebookLM and actively incorporating user feedback. The most recent addition the team made was the ability to share a notebook publicly with anyone using a single link. Previously, the only way to share your notebooks was through the recipient's email address. This seriously limited how you could share your notebooks, since you'd need the other person's email address.
Though it took NotebookLM quite a while to add this basic yet essential feature, better late than never, right? Now that it's here, here are 3 ways I'm using it.
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Posts 7
3 Sharing exam preparation notebooks with classmates
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Though I've been using NotebookLM in ways that have absolutely nothing to do with studying, like to prepare for job interviews, the bulk of what I do when I use NotebookLM is still academic-related. I primarily use the tool when I'm cramming for exams, since it has features like the ability to convert lecture slides into podcasts called Audio Overviews and Mind Maps to see the connection between different topics.
It also lets you ask questions about sources you've uploaded to your notebook without having to worry about the AI hallucinating. This is because NotebookLM only references the material you've uploaded when answering your queries or generating an Audio Overview or Mind Map.
When my semester begins, I create different notebooks for each course I have. For instance, I had six different courses this semester, meaning six notebooks. At the end of the week, I add all the content we've covered, including lecture slides, assignments, and my own handwritten notes, into the relevant notebook.
Whether you're currently a student or graduated years ago, you likely know that nothing screams exam season more than classmates hitting you up at the eleventh hour asking for notes. Since all my notes are always organized in separate NotebookLM notebooks, one option is to ask for a classmate's email, add them to it, and then share the link. Though that works if it's just a single classmate, it gets tedious when multiple people are asking.
That's where the new public links feature comes in clutch. Instead of manually adding each person by email, I can just generate a shareable link and drop it into the class group chat. Though none of the viewers can edit the source content, they can interact with public notebooks by generating Audio Overviews, Mind Maps, or even asking questions in the Chat panel.
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2 Helping family members understand their gadgets
I'm a computer science major and a tech journalist, and this combination makes everyone in my family believe I'm their always-available tech support. And though I'm always down to geek out about new tech with anyone that'll listen to me, constantly re-explaining how to get the HDMI source back after accidentally switching to AV mode on a TV to my grandmother can get slightly frustrating.
So, I took an unconventional approach one day. I decided to create a new NotebookLM notebook and upload the TV's user manuals to it. NotebookLM has an interactive Audio Overview mode (in beta) where you can essentially interrupt the two virtual hosts while they're discussing your sources and share your opinions or ask any questions you may have.
So, I did exactly that. I asked the hosts the exact same question my grandmother would constantly call and ask me, and the hosts calmly walked me through the steps. I also tried the same thing by asking the question in the Chat panel, and it worked flawlessly (as shown in the image above).
Of course, there are some limits to doing this, but for straightforward questions like switching inputs or troubleshooting no-sound issues, it works surprisingly well. I then generated a public link, and to help my grandmother out, I opened the link to the notebook in a separate Safari tab. I even pinned it to her Home Screen, so all she'd need to do is tap the icon to access the notebook whenever she needed help.
And when her friends needed help with the same issue (because of course they did), all I needed to do was forward the same link to them. As easy as that!
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1 Sharing meeting notes and agendas with teammates
A team meeting simply wouldn't be a meeting if everyone actually showed up or joined on time. There's always someone catching up ten minutes late, and while quickly recapping things once isn't too big of a deal, doing it every single time can get exhausting. And recapping an entire fifty-minute meeting for someone who didn't attend is another challenge altogether. Forwarding meeting notes is one option, but that too comes with a ton of follow-up questions.
So, to make things easier for myself (and everyone else), I started uploading all our meeting notes and agendas to a single NotebookLM notebook. If someone misses a meeting, all they need to do is open the notebook and ask the AI any questions they may have.
If they'd rather listen to the key takeaways in audio form, they can generate an Audio Overview too! And instead of individually tracking down who missed the meeting, asking for their email addresses, and sharing the notebook with them, generating a public link makes it way simpler.
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Public links are a small upgrade that makes a big difference
The thing about this feature is that you won't quite realize how important it is until multiple people start messaging you asking for access to the NotebookLM notebook you dropped in the group chat. What I've mentioned above are just some of the ways I've been using public links, but it's genuinely a welcome addition. Now, if only the NotebookLM team would get around to adding the other features that would make it even better!
