Hey everyone:
As many of you know, I work in the Library. One of my least favorite jobs is to refill the printer paper, and to recycle the paper from print jobs that were abandoned. The reason I do not like this job is because I see what students are doing on the computer and what they are printing. For example, today, before noon, I refilled one of our printers with a ream of paper 3 times...that is 1500 sheets of paper in 3 1/2 hours from one of two student printers. I also recycled and reused at least 100 additional pages. What was on these pages that students printed up but never claimed? Copies of my -space pictures of girlfriends and boyfriends, cartoons, blog pages clearly about non-academic issues (what so and so did with what's her name last Saturday and what that makes him...). Students use the library computers for a personal e-mail station, parking for hours, and never cracking a book. Then these same students come in crying and complaining on a Wednesday night at 7:30pm when they have a 5 page research paper due the next day and all of the computers are taken and there are not enough library staff to hand walk them through the writing process. In theory, there should be a rule of some sort that would put a time limit on computer use, and the type of usage, and restrictions on printing. There are signs posted that say the computers are for library research and there is a one hour limit, but these rules are SO hard to enforce that no one really tries to. Last week, when I was not working, I needed to get on a computer to print out a reference page for my literature class, and all of the computers were taken. I asked a student who was clearly playing a video game if he could log off becasue I needed a computer for classwork, and he told me where I could go. Luckily, he changed his tune and moved on after another student told him I worked there (not that I have any authority as a work study student, but he apparently thought so). What do you all think? Should students be able to camp out for hours on the computers checking e-mail and My-space pages, and printing up multiple pages of nothingness that they don't even claim? Or should there be some sort of monitoring system to keep these computers for research and educationally related work? Also, should student printing usage be moitored or limited by some sort of computer program (that only allows the user to print X amount of copies per session/block of time/day?
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
5 comments:
This is a huge issue for me, and I'm glad you brought it up. I completely agree with you on the fact that computer/printing usage at Baker is not well monitored, and is out of control. I can't imagine having to work in the library. You must just want to scream at the people who clearly have no regard for any of the well-intentioned computer use policies. This is my fourth year at Baker, and the computer situation has only worsened since I started here. In my experience as a conscientious student, I've noticed several recurring problems that contribute to my ongoing frustration over computer access here at Baker.
Including:
1) Limited amount of computers that are made available
2) Absence of time/use restrictions (and/or lack of ability to enforce such restrictions)
3) uncontrolled/unmonitored/wasteful printing
1) There are not many computers open for student use in the library and in the crowded learning center computer lab. The large computer lab off of the library was switched over into the hands of the learning center and now is nearly never available for use. It used to be that if no class had reserved it for use, you could take your student ID to the circulation desk in the library, where they scanned it and gave it back, and you could use any computer in the roomy lab. Now, the learning center hardly ever lets students use that computer lab, for reasons I don't know. There are also classrooms in the D hallway that are filled with only computers. I know that the computer classes use these rooms, but I have walked down D hallway many times and seen them empty, lights off, no one inside. Why, when students truly need to access computers to do class work, are there "not enough" when we have computer classrooms that sit empty?
2) There are signs posted on library computers restricting what you may use them for. I know we all may need to check email from time to time, or other things, but do some people feel that they may sit on them doing things not pertinent to schoolwork for long periods of time, when other people are waiting to do homework, research, etc. Why are they allowed to continue doing this? Because it is so hard to enforce the usage restrictions. The library employees would be forced to become like vultures over our shoulders, wasting their time pacing up and down the two rows of computers, hovering behind us to scan the screen, trying to decipher what we are doing. This wouldn't even work, should it ever be attempted, because it is so easy to just click to another screen that looks more "homeworkish". I personally would hate being a vulture, so why should we force the library employees to become usage vultures? What ever happened to the honor system? What ever happened to being courteous and conscientious? What ever happened to working together and not being a computer hog when others are trying to do homework and all you want to do is play video games, etc...? etc... etc....?
Time restrictions never work well, because you end up hurting those who are truly doing homework, and encouraging others to lie, and get creative on how they cover up their lies. I've had times where I sat in the learning center for two or three hours at a time researching the internet, working on PowerPoint presentations, doing homework for three or four classes. If a time limit had been strictly imposed, I would never have been able to finish everything. However, if the learning center and library were to begin adhering to a strict time limit for computer use, EXCEPT for those who had excuses like working on homework or researching, most people who were not doing homework would probably say that they were anyway. They already imply that they are, since they disobey the signs in the library that restrict usage. If time limits were imposed, it would limit the homwork-doers' ability to get everything done.
3)The whole printing issue, to me is just ridiculous. Why should you print junk if you aren't even going to pick it up? It's not like anyone would see what you pick up from the printer most of the time. It infuriates me that people do this because it is just such a waste of paper, toner, wear and tear on the printer, and the library employees' time spent recycling the unclaimed clutter that is always around the printer tables. Also, the printing limit makes me upset. If people get away with printing all kinds of non-school related junk (which I KNOW that they do, because you can clearly see the junk printouts when searching for yours in the stack on the printer) and I have to jump through hoops to get approval when I actually ask the staff BEFORE printing more than 20 pages of handouts I created, fulfilling a requirement for a class presentation. That is just ridiculous. I only did that once. Now I don't ask before printing over the 20-page limit, if it is for a class. I, the non-rule breaker, do it every time I have to make printouts. Further, the copy machine is just not an option for me. You mean that I, the student, the consumer, who pays tuition that buys the print supplies and keeps the college running, have to pay a steep 10 cents per page to copy handouts that are clearly required for a presentation? 10 cents is very high for plain black and white copies, compared to self-serve copy centers.
I know this post was long, but I have been stewing in this frustration for a while, not wanting to complain because I’m thankful for the computer access that I do have, but upset that it is so problematic. I guess the blame really comes down to those people who abuse the computer privileges that Baker provides. Half of the problems are caused and aggravated by the students who are not conscientious with the time they spend on the computer, what they use the computers for, and what they choose to print.
I think it's fine that people use the computers for what ever they want. It's not their fault that Baker has a bunch of rooms full of computers but they aren't always open. Some people don't have internet so while they are at school, before, during or after class they just mess around, chat with friends, check e-mails, play games, whatever makes them happy and keeps them entertained. I think we pay enough money to Baker for tuition as it is, so I believe that if we want to use the computers for what we want when we want and to print things we should be able too.
I understand the concerns though when you work there, and when you need a computer for school work. Trust me I have been there too, needing a computer and not being able to find one and people just using the computers for nothing, but I think that this is something that is at Baker's fault, they need to change something, not the students.
Hi Cathy,
program learn Center has a 2 hour limit and 20 page limit. Plus they also have a sign in system.
Maybe the library could adopt the sign in system and use only 4 computer for the index file.
The 12 computers on the table are only suppose to be used to lookup information.
I was told you were not suppose to do your whole research paper there.
This is how it is suppose to work.
Student goes to the computer looks up all the books that they are suppose to look up.
Print only the articles that you can use. Lindsey helps me. She says this article is better than that. So I print out all my articles take out all my books and actually go someplace else to do the research.
Sometimes on the library floor. Sometimes on a table. Yes, That is me all spread out. One time my daughter and I went into the library and took out the magazine and spread them on the floor looking for business articles.
I put them all back better than they were all dates back in order.
I look for medical journals that way too. There is too many for the table.
The journal that is like a table of contents I go thru that and find subjects that interest me and then find the article that way.
But I also feel that the computers at school should be used for research, and not personal gain. especially when it is used for listening to music.
I collected material and left. Lindsey sometimes lets me have more than 20 pages because I needed them.
Jennifer,
I print more than 20 pages. Sometimes my research has to. But last year Medical Manager students only had their program in the learning center and the program could not be taken home. The only place you could do homework was at school.
Those computers that are not in use are actually for test that Dexter runs. He is tense about it. But last year they ran into some problems now I guess all his testing computers are in that library room.
You can use the computers in the D wing just tell acdemic office that you need to use a computer, sign in and you can use them.
You just have to lock up when you are done, and tell the other students to sign in at the acdemic office.
You do not want to be responsible for any breakage. As long as you sign in and make sure the lights are off there is not reason why you cannot use the D computers.
If this is an issue, and it bothers you that much go to vice president and maybe he can work out something.
Deltacang<
About your comments on computer use at Baker: A student cannot check themselves into an empty computer room from the academic office. As for the learning center, DEREK is trying very hard to schedule the space he has available for everyone to use. It is the students who spend hours on their my-space pages and email accounts and not on academic work that clog up the system. He uses the computer labs in D hallway when the LC labs get full. I don't know who Lindsay is in the library who is helping you...there is not an employee by that name. As for printing over 20 pages, the library wants you to only print the part of the article you need, not the entire document. This is to keep down on waste. Finally, you cannot type your entire research paper in the library. In fact, you can't type anything but online because our computers don't have microsoft word. Typing of any kind needs to be done in the LC. I guess what I am saying is that you need to get your facts straight. We all work hard in the library to try to please everyone, and we don't need misinformation floating around.
Post a Comment