By William Frady, Manager of Instructional and Student Computing
At the start of the spring semester, the Technology Commons, in cooperation with Hunter Library, took over management of the equipment checkout service. The service was transitioned from the Hunter Library Circulation Desk to the Technology Commons Service Desk (pictured at right) in the newly renovated Commons. Equipment checkout includes most of the electronics that Hunter Library had previously been distributing: video and digital cameras, iPods, voice recorders, projectors and laptops, along with some miscellaneous items and accessories.
As part of the service transition, the Technology Commons has purchased Web Checkout, a software package. This package handles inventory control and checkout and reservation management for the fleet of equipment.
Dell Netbooks/laptops, which are now available for checkout at the Technology Commons Service Desk, continue to remain the most popular resource. With these, students can enjoy the freedom of settling down to work anywhere in the building without being tied to a specific desk. Once checked out, these laptops may also be taken from the physical confines of the library and used on campus wherever a wireless signal can be received.
In order to refresh some of the dated equipment, the Technology Commons team has ordered new equipment to replace items that have started to degrade or are no longer supported by current technologies. This refresh includes some new video cameras, voice recorders and digital photo cameras. New accessories such as tripods and protective cases are also being added to supplement the existing and new equipment inventory.
The Technology Commons team anticipates that the checkout software and the new equipment should be in full circulation for the fall semester’s kickoff. Want to learn more? Drop by the Technology Commons, located on the ground floor of Hunter Library, and inquire about this new service.