Managing Public Computing · 57
“These answers are based on our LibQUAL+® survey, which covers much more material than computer use.”
“Wireless networking is a campus-wide system run by institutional IT group.”
Additional Comments
34. Please enter any additional information regarding the management of public computing at
your library that may assist the authors in accurately analyzing the results of this survey.
“Academic Computing provides networking services and support for the Libraries and technical support
for one library lab. However, the Libraries are responsible for most support for public computing. We see
a continued need for professional IT staff that can support more powerful computing environments and
professional level multimedia content creation software. The new crop of students coming in are demanding
more sophisticated software, and a lot of them do not require any type of basic support. They are asking
assistance with very sophisticated projects like gaming environments, online interactive professional portfolios,
and product development for marketing and film classes.”
“Currently, the public computers only offer Web access, but other applications will be added in the future.”
“Library machines will be migrating management of all login public computers to university IT department
management this constitutes the vast majority of machines.”
“Most intensive support on the public side goes to maintenance and updating of the research database
products on the old CD-ROM network. This is a format that isn’t going away fast enough!”
“One very important aspect of public computing at our library was not easily addressed in the survey
questions so I would like to speak to that here. We have recently built an Information Commons in our library.
As of the end of Spring 2007 it contained 90 public computers and 54 loaner laptops reported in the totals
for question 5 and explained separately in the comments to question 5. Our Information Commons is currently
undergoing an expansion so this number will be even higher beginning in the fall of 2007. The Commons is a
collaborative project between the library and the campus Office of Information Technology (OIT) support for
public computing in this area of the library is handled exclusively by OIT. Most answers to the survey questions
therefore reflect only the public computers supported by the library’s own IT group (Library Technology
Services).”
“Public printers are managed by the university’s Printing and Copying Services unit. We have two collaborative
computer lab spaces managed by the library and University IT. We also have a lab space managed by
University IT which is not included in the responses to this survey.”
“Support for public computing on the campus is a collaborative but complicated endeavor. There are four main
players involved: 1) Libraries ITS supports 165 non-authenticated Libraries workstations. These stations have
a tightly controlled image and no software can be loaded on them. They provide access to library resources
and the Web, but have no productivity software, such as MS Office. 2) In 2002 the Libraries began a joint
venture with a university partner organization, Catalyst Client Services, to provide more powerful computing
“These answers are based on our LibQUAL+® survey, which covers much more material than computer use.”
“Wireless networking is a campus-wide system run by institutional IT group.”
Additional Comments
34. Please enter any additional information regarding the management of public computing at
your library that may assist the authors in accurately analyzing the results of this survey.
“Academic Computing provides networking services and support for the Libraries and technical support
for one library lab. However, the Libraries are responsible for most support for public computing. We see
a continued need for professional IT staff that can support more powerful computing environments and
professional level multimedia content creation software. The new crop of students coming in are demanding
more sophisticated software, and a lot of them do not require any type of basic support. They are asking
assistance with very sophisticated projects like gaming environments, online interactive professional portfolios,
and product development for marketing and film classes.”
“Currently, the public computers only offer Web access, but other applications will be added in the future.”
“Library machines will be migrating management of all login public computers to university IT department
management this constitutes the vast majority of machines.”
“Most intensive support on the public side goes to maintenance and updating of the research database
products on the old CD-ROM network. This is a format that isn’t going away fast enough!”
“One very important aspect of public computing at our library was not easily addressed in the survey
questions so I would like to speak to that here. We have recently built an Information Commons in our library.
As of the end of Spring 2007 it contained 90 public computers and 54 loaner laptops reported in the totals
for question 5 and explained separately in the comments to question 5. Our Information Commons is currently
undergoing an expansion so this number will be even higher beginning in the fall of 2007. The Commons is a
collaborative project between the library and the campus Office of Information Technology (OIT) support for
public computing in this area of the library is handled exclusively by OIT. Most answers to the survey questions
therefore reflect only the public computers supported by the library’s own IT group (Library Technology
Services).”
“Public printers are managed by the university’s Printing and Copying Services unit. We have two collaborative
computer lab spaces managed by the library and University IT. We also have a lab space managed by
University IT which is not included in the responses to this survey.”
“Support for public computing on the campus is a collaborative but complicated endeavor. There are four main
players involved: 1) Libraries ITS supports 165 non-authenticated Libraries workstations. These stations have
a tightly controlled image and no software can be loaded on them. They provide access to library resources
and the Web, but have no productivity software, such as MS Office. 2) In 2002 the Libraries began a joint
venture with a university partner organization, Catalyst Client Services, to provide more powerful computing
