Archive for October, 2011

Self-Service Laptop Solutions for Libraries and Self-Service Laptop Lockers for Universities

With UK universities now able to charge up to £9,000 tuition fees, higher education establishments need to provide the best possible student experience to remain competitive and attract applicants. For cash-strapped students who cannot afford their own laptops, the quality of IT services and the availability of laptop loans in university libraries can influence where they choose to study. Unfortunately for some universities, availability of librarians can limit their capacity to offer these services, but the introduction of self-service laptop lockers can resolve this problem.

So how exactly do self-service laptop lockers work? Made from steel, each locker bay safely secures each laptop, netbook or tablet whilst it is not in use and charges the device ready for when it is needed. If a student requires a laptop, they simply present their library card to the issuing panel on the locker, and the cabinet will recommend a bay that a student can remove a fully charged laptop from. When the device is returned to the locker, and the door has been closed, the bay will then be ready to be allocated to another student. As a result, the cabinet can record which student has taken, returned or damaged a piece of equipment. In offering a loan system of this kind, universities can use their resources more efficiently and greatly improve the IT on offer to students, helping to increase overall student experience.

Whereas manual loan schemes require a librarian to dish out a laptop or tablet in exchange for a student’s library card, self-service lockers leave staff free to get on with their other duties, potentially cutting costs if staff working hours are reduced. What is more, self-service systems can be set up to issue laptops throughout the day right up until a library closes, whereas manual systems can only operate during a librarian’s working hours. Self-service lockers give students access to equipment whenever they need it, making things much easier for students who may only be able to use the library at particular times due to lectures and part-time work commitments. Read the rest of this entry »

Research the Old-Fashioned Way: Why the Library is Not Obsolete

Although researching and writing a college paper has never been child’s play, it was a bit more straightforward and less complicated before the advent of the Internet. Aspiring student researchers simply visited their university’s library, where they could easily check out a few relevant books after consulting the card catalog and use a periodical index to find a journal article or two. Nowadays, there are many more choices in addition to those regular, “old-fashioned” standbys. Still, the Internet has yet to render the library obsolete!

The World Wide Web has become a boundless source of information, bringing knowledge to the homes of millions. Yet, despite the tens of billions of pages available online, it’s a mistake to conclude that everything is available (somewhere!) on the Web. Contrary to popular belief, the entire world’s wisdom is not online and free for the taking. Some information will cost you, while other resources are nowhere to be found.

Additionally, the Web is rife with misinformation. Unfortunately, many students not only turn first to the Internet for their research needs, but they are also handicapped by their inability to distinguish reputable resources from unreliable ones. While use of the Internet can make research more convenient, it may also result in carelessness. Students are better served by beginning their research at the library and using the Web as a secondary resource.

Fortunately, the Internet has also changed the way in which the supposedly passé library functions. While you may still see drawers upon drawers of card catalogs, most libraries have also made their catalogs available online. Computers have facilitated interlibrary loan (ILL) as well. Likewise, paper journals and microfiche persist, but these resources are supplemented with subscriptions to online academic databases. Ultimately, libraries have used the Internet to provide the best of both worlds – the reputable resources available at the library, digitalized for greater accessibility.

1. Online Catalogs

In all likelihood, you’ve probably already used a card catalog, even if it was way back in elementary school. While catalogs do still exist, the good news is that most of them have been digitalized. Now available online, they’re much easier to access and search. If you can connect to your library’s computer system remotely, you can even browse their holdings from your dorm room! Read the rest of this entry »

Benefiting From Public Libraries

Public libraries have through time, changed and become full-blown learning centers where you get more than just a book read to kill time.

Time has brought about the need for libraries to adapt to modern trends of conveying information. These include powerful tools like CDs DVDs and Podcasts. Therefore, it is not a shocker if someone you know asked you to join a public library.

Getting people to visit a library calls for the person inviting them to also walk the talk. You can only be successful at inviting your kids to be visiting a library if you are yourself a frequent face in the library.

There are vast resources available at the library that you can use to lure your kids to be frequent visitors to the libraries. Encourage them with storybooks and movies.

Apart from learning, a library should also serve the recreation needs that visitors require. It should not be a classroom like atmosphere where you learn and leave at your pleasure. Read the rest of this entry »