[OPLINTECH] Lending/Circulating Laptops for Public Access

[Chad Neeper]

Jim,

How durable did you find the tablets in the hands of the patron? In
general, I would expect shorter than normal hardware lifespans...

-----------------------
Chad Neeper
Senior Systems Engineer

Level 9 Networks
740-548-8070 (voice)
866-214-6607 (fax)

--   Full LAN/WAN consulting services   --
-- Specialized in libraries and schools --



JKENZIG wrote:
> Wow,
> I have heard of libraries allowing patrons to have laptops to use within
> their libraries but haven't yet come across one actually letting patrons
> take them home. We have had wireless web tablets at several of our
> branches for a few years left on tables so patrons could pick them up
> and use them around the library. We had a lot of issues with these in
> having to create a space/power for charging them, patrons leaving them
> lying around with inappropriate content left on them, and having to come
> up with a way to reset them to default after a patron is done with them.
> We have since decided that the web tablets will only have our web
> catalog available. 
>
>  At very best you would need to have a product like Deepfreeze by
> Faronics on them that reset the laptop back to your vanilla
> configuration when it was returned. Further you would need to have
> control over all the accessories that go with the laptop to the patron
> as well as a large area for storing and charging the units between
> loans. It can get quite expensive to manage and time consuming for staff
> also having to check them over every return cycle. It is a large
> undertaking. 
>
> Jim Kenzig
> Network Manager
> Cuyahoga County Public Library
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: oplintech-bounces at oplin.org [mailto:oplintech-bounces at oplin.org]
> On Behalf Of Maria Wilburn
> Sent: Thursday, June 14, 2007 10:40 AM
> To: oplintech at oplin.org
> Subject: [OPLINTECH] Lending/Circulating Laptops for Public Access
>
> We a mid-size rural public library in an old Carnegie Public Library
> Building. We are about to start a remodeling project at our library and
> our Architect in his original presentation mentioned that "a lot of
> libraries are now lending laptops to patrons. These laptops can be used
> anywhere and you don't have to allocate in library space for them." This
> translated in to our board believing that lending laptops was a done
> deal. And that was what we're going to do.
>
> I now have several questions for all of those libraries in Ohio that are
> circulating laptops or have considered doing so.
>
>
> Let me know why decided to lend or decided not to lend laptops?
>
> Can you tell me your success or failure stories? Need pros & cons for
> this subject.
>
> If you are lending: Who are you? Can we come and visit?
>
> Thanks,
>
> --
> Maria Wilburn-Technology Coordinator
> Carnegie Public Library
> 127 S North St.
> Washington CH, OH 43160
>
> (740) 335-2540 voice
> (740) 335-8409 Fax
> wilburma at oplin.org
>
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>   
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