LIS to instate new printing quota

Author: Kelly Janis

Library and Information Services (LIS) is considering instituting printing quotas and establishing a sound-proof cell phone room in the Main Library. The plans were announced on the "All Things LIS" blog that Dean of Library and Information Services Michael Roy created shortly after he assumed his position last June.

The print management system, known as Paper Cut, will require users to send documents to the printer of their choice, title them and then "release" them at an adjacent terminal when they are prepared to print.

Director of User Services Mary Backus said the system is intended to reduce waste, save resources and curb user aggravation.

"Students are usually pretty frustrated with trying to get their jobs out of the printer, not knowing where they went," said Backus. "I've heard some students say they automatically print every job to all of the printers and then walk around and try to find one, which obviously adds to the waste and the wear and tear on the printers. And then the printers are down, and that causes frustration."

Library staff members will test one of the terminals within their departments this week. Later, students will pilot one on the ground floor of the Main Library, where a high concentration of staff members will allow easy intervention in the event of a problem. More terminals will then be phased in throughout the course of the spring semester. The print quotas - which Backus said would initially be set relatively high - are expected to take effect next fall.

Although Backus said the yet to be finalized quota is mostly intended to raise individuals' awareness of their habits, once it has been reached, there may be a charge for successive print jobs.

The College already uses Paper Cut to monitor network printing. In fact, it was this program that spawned Count Paper - the automated character who graced the inboxes of students, faculty and staff with monthly tallies of their paper usage last year.

"I, and my counterparts, Count Chocula, Count Dooku, the Count of Monte Cristo and Count von Count, are counting on you to countinue to countscientiously countdense your paper waste," Count Paper wrote in his e-mails, informing recipients how many kilograms of carbon dioxide they had produced, and what percentage of a tree they had expended.

Much to the relief of some who were not fond of his friendly admonishments, Count Paper and his counterparts rode off into the sunset at the end of last spring.

"Most people saw the humor and were appreciative of knowing," Backus said. "Others found it not as pleasant."

Meanwhile, following a student's suggestion, LIS is considering setting aside what the blog described as "a soundproof space for impromptu phone conversations" in the Main Library.

In a comment to the post, lecturer and tutor-in-writing Mary Ellen Bertolini wrote "we are much more in need of a room where students can practice oral presentations."

Backus said she has not heard students express this particular need, but deemed it worthy of consideration.

"That's why we have the blog - to weigh all points of view and try to do it all," she said.

Regardless of the form the project eventually takes, finding an ideal location poses its greatest challenge. Backus noted that group study rooms are in high demand, and that LIS would therefore be reluctant to repurpose them. She said library staff members have half-jokingly toyed with the idea of constructing a bright red telephone booth instead.

Backus said both proposals will be discussed with a broad cross section of the community - including faculty council, the Student Government Association and LIS's student advisory board - prior to their implementation.

"We want to make sure everyone is comfortable before we go ahead and do this," she said.