Library Logged: Double Sided Printing

Posted on October 22, 2010 by rkuglitch

The computers must be configured to print front and back. It’s so environmentally unsound.

Indeed it is! Our default standard for the Learning Commons is double sided printing, but from time to time the computers settings are deleted. Whenever that happens, the printing can revert to single sided. If you notice it happening on just one computer, please let us know the computer number—tell the student at the Learning Commons desk, write it on your comment card—so we can repair the settings to default to double sided printing.The wireless printers in the Reading Room aren’t physically capable of printing on both sides of a page, unfortunately.

If you somehow wind up with single-sided prints, remember we have re-use bins near each Reading Room printer and on the tall table near the Information Desk. Staff here at the library re-use the single-sided prints for internal printing.

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LibraryLogged: Why the screens & kiosks?

Posted on October 15, 2010 by rkuglitch

W/ so many monitors, TVs, etc. running we are so sustainable! My biggest grief is the info e-kiosk near the entrance. What can you possibly find on that that could not be asked of the students working at the info desk?

We do have  a lot of screens and monitors in the library, but we are working on minimizing impact by setting up automatic shutdowns and repurposing old screens (for example, the Learning Commons sign is an older monitor that was otherwise unused). We also are able to use the screens to replace a significant amount of paper use. A digital image goes up on the screen, rather than a dozen or so fliers going up on the wall and being tossed after a week.

The Info Kiosk is one of our more heavily used tools. Nearly every time I walk past it, the page displayed has been changed, indicating that it’s used consistently.  We keep the kiosk updated with far more information about meetings and classes in the library than an information desk worker could reasonably keep track of each day.

Additionally, while the other info on the kiosk is available from the students at the Information desk, not every library user wants to ask a question at the desk. We try to get information to the campus community in as many ways as possible and to respect that some people would prefer to find information themselves, rather than asking for it.

I hope the info kiosk is  a little less distressing now!

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Library Logged: WorldCat

Posted on October 13, 2010 by rkuglitch

WorldCat is awful, why can’t I just link to the article anymore?

Now, this is a problem we can solve!

You certainly can link to articles, books, and more in Puget Sound WorldCat. Plus, since Puget Sound WorldCat is an addition to the tools the library supplied before, you can choose whatever tool suits your need most. You can use Collins Catalog (formerly named Simon), the Journal Locator, or any of our databases just as you used to, or you can add on Puget Sound WorldCat if you choose.

I wasn’t sure if you meant ‘link to the article’ as in click a link and get to the full text, or ‘link to the article’ as in make a link you can send to someone, so I’ll explain both.

Let’s start with finding the full text of an article. If you find an article in Puget Sound WorldCat that you’d like to find in full text, just proceed as you would in any of our databases. Look for the “Check for full text” link:

PSWorldCat

Click it, and if the article is available online you’ll find a full text link, while if we have the journal in print, you’ll see a link to UPS Print or Microform information:

JLocWhenever Puget Sound has the article you want, these links should get you to it, if it’s  online, or to instructions to find it, if it’s in print or microform.

Alternatively, if you would actually prefer to share links with someone, it’s easy to find a permanent link on Puget Sound WorldCat. Just click on the title you want, look in the upper right hand corner of the page that results, and click the button for ‘Permalink’:

Link

WorldCat is awful, why can’t I just link to the article anymore?
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LIBRARY LOGGED: New furniture & flu season

Posted on October 8, 2010 by rkuglitch

Really enjoy the new floor area with couches – great job! Would love to have tissue boxes at printers and circulation desk (flu season is approaching!) Thanks!

Thanks! We’re so glad you like the new area & furniture.

As you note, cold & flu season are approaching, much as we’d like to deny it! You’ll now find tissues at the desk, and we’ve replenished our supply of hand sanitizer & purchased some keyboard wipes for the Learning Commons.

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LIBRARY LOGGED: Why the new print system?

Posted on October 1, 2010 by jpelger

We have received a lot of feed back regarding the new print system in the Learning Commons.  The change was necessary as the old system stopped functioning this summer.  While the reviews are mixed,  a print management system is necessary.    Systems like this promote sustainability as they prevent pages from being printed unnecessarily.  For example, during the 2008/2009 academic year, over 1.8 million pages were sent to the release station, but only 1.7 million were actually printed.  This saved over 121,000 pages from printing.

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New print system

Posted on September 28, 2010 by jpelger

New printing service is too slow; need to print many things.

We are continuing to adjust the settings on the release station.  We hope to add the option of releasing several prints jobs at once, but it may not be possible.  While it may take a bit longer to print something with the release station versus printing directly from the Learning Commons computers, the release station does greatly reduce waste by preventing the actual printing of many jobs that are not picked up by the user.

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Squeaky front doors

Posted on September 24, 2010 by rkuglitch

Please oil those squeaky “front” doors!

We’ve passed this on to our building team, and hopefully soon they’ll be quiet front doors!

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Hogwarts

Posted on September 21, 2010 by jpelger

Almost like Hogwarts!

Thank you.  We’re glad you like it.

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Kiosk questions

Posted on September 17, 2010 by rkuglitch

Can we get rid of the info kiosk? It seems kind of weird to have a sad-student “information kiosk” right next to the front desk, where one can ask a person for information. Also, I personally think that the info kiosk machine is pretty loud. (Stand in the reading room, you can hear it from next to the printers!) I just wanted to study in a quiet area.

We have a couple of reasons for having the kiosk:

  1. Not everyone likes asking a person for information, and we want to be sure we’re providing good service to people with each preference.
  2. Some information is easier to convey graphically (like the maps, calendars, and announcements that we feature on the kiosk).

Hopefully that makes the kiosk look a little less sad!

We’re sorry the noise bothers you. In general, if you’re looking for quiet, the upstairs floors or an individual study room are a better bet. However, if the kiosk suddenly starts making an abnormally loud noise, please let someone in person know, since there might be something we can fix.

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Very helpful

Posted on September 14, 2010 by jpelger

[This student] was very helpful today in helping me with the printer.

Thank you for letting us know.  We will pass the message on to the individual.

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