TechSmith Camtasia: Enhanced Library Assets

by Kevin Siegel, COTP, CTT   I've written about the TechSmith Camtasia Library before. If you find yourself confused about the role of Media Bin (formerly known as the Clip Bin in older versions of Camtasia) versus the Library, check out this article on the IconLogic blog.   I love Camtasia but have long lamented the lack of assets you get for free like you do with the Characters and eLearning Brother Assets found in Adobe Captivate 9, and the Characters and Content Library found in Articulate Storyline 360. Given the fact that Camtasia costs far less than either Storyline or Captivate, it's understandable that you don't get images and animations like you do with the other tools.   Only not so fast...   ...if you're using Camtasia 9, visit the Library and you'll find a wonderful surprise: free assets! In the image below, notice that there are several Icons categories including Buildings, Education, and Vehicles. There's even a category called Motion Graphics - eLearning Brothers. (I'm delighted to see assets from the eLearning Brothers included in Camtasia.)

If you want to see a preview of any of the Library assets, right-click and choose Preview. And as was true with older versions of Camtasia, to add a Library asset to the Timeline, simply right-click and choose Add to Timeline at Playhead.    In the image below, I've added one of the eLearning Brothers motion graphics to my Timeline.

I love the fact that after adding, for instance, the eLearning Brothers Motion Graphics to the Timeline, you can click the plus sign to see the grouped elements that make up the asset and modify the individual pieces as necessary.

If you're looking to get a quick start on using Camtasia, check out my upcoming Camtasia mini course. And if you'd like to learn how to use the tool on your own, my step-by-step workbook TechSmith Camtasia 9: The Essentials will help.

___ Kevin Siegel, CTT, COTP, is the founder and president of IconLogic. Following a career in Public Affairs with the US Coast Guard and in private industry, Kevin has spent decades as a technical communicator, classroom and online trainer, public speaker, and has written hundreds of computer training books for adult learners. He has been recognized by Adobe as one of the top trainers world-wide.