Dear Debbie,
Here at Somerset College of Arts & Technology we also have a "printing
problem." We currently have two "Resouce Centres" (including the Library)
who charge 5p per A4 sheet; on the rest of the College Network, students
have an allowance of 300 sheets per year. If they exceed this, then they can
"buy" more.
This has raised certain issues:-.
1. Some students apparently need to print out more than others e.g. more
than 300 A4 sheets per year. Whether the alternatives of submitting work on
a disc, or using e-mail have been explored, is unclear.
2. A member of teaching staff has recently calculated that the charge of 5p
is grossly explotative! Of course, he was not in full possession of all the
costs/figures to make accurate and sensible analysis.
Historically, the Library did not charge for printing. Unfortunately, this
was abused, culminating ain one member of staff printing 400 copies of a
large document for his wife. From then on we charged 1p per sheet. Library
staff were literally laughed at, so it was put up to 5p.
We still have huge amounts of uncollected printouts. At Half-Term we
collected about a reams worth!
Whenever possible, we do try and explain the problem t our readers as part
of user ed./induction sessions. This is fine for the CD-ROMs - which we
show/demonstrate (not all CD-ROMs confirm printing!), but it is a problem
for the Interent, as there is no proper induction!!!
It is not always the students "fault" - printing frames is not always
straight forward (it is not always obvious that there are frames!); and
there can be a problem of printing white/light text onto white paper!
Would be pleased to hear of any solutions,
Ford Davey
LRT
Somerset College of Arts & Technology
>From: Debbie Carter <[log in to unmask]>
>Reply-To: Debbie Carter <[log in to unmask]>
>To: [log in to unmask]
>Subject: student printing
>Date: Thu, 2 Mar 2000 00:54:10 -0800 (PST)
>
>To all librarians, particularly in FE colleges
>
>We are having increasing problems with students
>getting carried away when using the internet and
>pressing the print button more than once if their
>document does not appear within 2 seconds. This is
>resulting in a lot of waste paper and toner use.
>
>I just wondered if colleagues have also experienced
>this kind of problem and if so what they have done to
>reduce it. How can we get the message home to them?
>Notices about printing are generally ignored!
>Obviously charging for printing is one option under
>consideration.
>
>Any suggestions gratefully received!
>
>Many thanks
>
>Debbie Carter
>Bournville College
>__________________________________________________
>Do You Yahoo!?
>Talk to your friends online with Yahoo! Messenger.
>http://im.yahoo.com
Ford Davey
[log in to unmask]
Plan 9 has started!
______________________________________________________
Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com
%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
|