Implementation of a Print Release System at Musselman, Shadek...
Transcript of Implementation of a Print Release System at Musselman, Shadek...
Implementation of a Print Release System at Musselman, Shadek-Fackentha
and Waidner-Spahr Libraries to Reduce Excessive Paper and Ink Waste
Celia Hartz - INFO 520
12/1/2014
Executive Summary
Gettysburg, Dickinson and Franklin and Marshall College are small liberal arts
colleges scattered about south central Pennsylvania with strong academics and libraries
that support their programs. These colleges are members of the Associated College
Libraries of Central Pennsylvania (ACLCP) and often work with each other or are inspired
by the initiatives of the others. Their libraries are spaces for researching; studying,
socializing but they are also where massive amounts of printing happen. Not only is
excessive printing not eco-friendly but it is also fiscally draining on the limited budget that
libraries already are dealing with. The solution: a print management system for these three
colleges would reduce toner and paper waste and it would increase patron privacy while
also reducing wait time for jobs. This initiative can be spread through all three campuses
and in all print labs as there is no need to purchase new printers. There is also a lot to gain
by using a print release system because it will make campuses greener and will allow for
the money saved to be used on other projects. These libraries are requesting the initial
funding of this project which is just under $8,130.
Who Are We?
Library Staff: These three colleges are lucky to have such large library staffs;
Dickinson has 27, Franklin and Marshall has 36 and Gettysburg has 38 full time employees
– that is 101 people who are dedicated to the information profession. There a several
departments in these libraries such as a special collections or college archives where rare
and unique items are cataloged, stored and studied. All three have reference and liaison
librarians who help students with a variety of projects. There are also a plethora of
technical services librarians who specialize in cataloging and a variety of other metadata
related work. Lastly, all three boast impressive interlibrary loan departments with at least
three full time employees who ensure that patrons are able to get materials even if there
library does not own a particular item.
Patrons: There are a variety users at all of these libraries but the largest group of
users is clearly the student body. While these are small colleges there are still nearly 7,400
students between the three. They are the primary audience when any of these institutions
look at their services and facilities. This does not mean they are the only concern however,
each college also have a professorial body that are constantly doing research work and
publishing new articles and books related to their varied fields. The collection at these
colleges is often directed toward their needs because there has to be material related to the
courses they are teaching and the research they are doing.
There are still several smaller groups that use the library at these institutions such
as the alumni, the Friends (or donators), community borrowers and guests. They are not
forgotten in the services provided. The pleasure reading collections, while small, are
usually geared towards adults fiction and non-fiction because this is usually what these
different groups are interested in reading. They are also able to access the internet from
the public computers and they are able to access databases and eBooks while on the
campus.
Goals: These three libraries are members of the Associated College Libraries of
Central Pennsylvania (ACLCP) and while they have their own mission statement or goals
they all follow the below system,
The mission of the Associated College Libraries of
Central Pennsylvania, a consortium of academic and research
libraries united by a rich heritage of and strong commitment to
sharing, is to enhance each member's ability to serve its
primary clientele (ACLCP, Mission Statement, para. 1, 2014).
To carry out this objective Gettysburg, Dickinson and Franklin and Marshall they
make it their duty to share information through the expertise of individuals who have
standard qualities such as leadership and innovative thinking. All of the employees at these
institutions have agreed to continuously enhance their own knowledge by embracing new
technologies in the ever-evolving world of libraries (ACLCP, Mission Statement, para. 2,
2014). All of this reflects the goals of these three colleges’ librarians and staff which is why
they are such appropriate recipients of a grant like this, which will help them truly realize
their mission.
Statement of Need
Library patrons produce a massive amount of waste but this does not need to be the
case. Print release systems are popping up around the country and have had tremendous
effects. This gives us great hope that it would be just as effective on a small scale at these
libraries. In some evaluations of the effectiveness of a print management system there is
up to 66% waste reduction in three years (Dempsey, 2012, 416). In large research
institutions libraries were able to save over 120,000 sheets of paper just by making duplex
printing the default; imagine how much could be saved with a print reduction system as
well (Cunningham, 2012, 18). There are many more examples of the success of
implementing some of these systems at colleges but the point is that it is extremely likely
that bringing on of these to campus will only yield positive results.
The use of a print management system has other benefits as well; there is increased
privacy to the user. The ALA states that, “The rights of privacy are necessary for
intellectual freedom and are fundamental to the ethics and practice of librarianship” (ALA
Privacy, 2014). When printers become burdened with a significant queue of jobs it begins
to lag which leads to multiple copies being printed because it is not arriving quickly
enough; there is also the issue that it is difficult to grab a job when the printer does not stop
because there are so many items to print. This leads to an issue of privacy because patrons
are forced to flip through a small stack of paper with information that does not belong to
them (Enis, 2012, 40). A print release system would prevent this from happening because
the job releases while the patron is standing in close proximity to it and they can retrieve it
immediately.
Another aspect to consider is simply how much staff time is dedicated to tending to
the printers themselves. In one study of a print release system the lifespan of toner was
noticeably longer; they went from lasting about nine days to lasting about two weeks. This
also effects how well the printer runs because if a toner cartridge gets an unreasonable
amount of use, it cannot perform efficiently. However, reducing the number of jobs, by
simply avoiding duplicate prints, means that the toner output increases and the whole
printing process is smoother (Dempsey, 2012, 415). Also, there would be less need to
change out toner waste and paper would have to be replaced less often. Additionally, there
would be less user-caused jamming from patrons trying to grab their job while the printer
is still running. The need to give attention to the printers would lessen allowing librarians
and staff to focus on their job.
A print release system would be the most effective way to diminish most of the
issues associated with wasteful printing. This has the potential to effect the entirety of
these campuses, especially if this becomes a joint initiative with other groups on the
campus. It is important to note that, while there is a community patron audience in each
library, they will not be prevented from using the printer because most systems have
modifications that allow for users to pay for their printing. This vending adjustment is
beneficial for the institution as it is an easy way to collect and keep track of printing by
non-college community members (Enis, 2014, 49). Overall, the students will easily be the
most effected by the new print release system but staff, faculty and administration and well
as the community members could also be a part of this new printing arrangement.
Proposed Service
These three libraries, along with campus sustainability groups and IT departments,
propose to implement a print management system to reduce the paper and ink waste
which will make the libraries greener, save money and make the printing process more
efficient. This project will begin in the libraries, which is where a majority of campus
printing occurs and then will spread to the smaller print labs throughout campus. Many of
these programs were designed with educational institutions in mind; the print
management system that will be used in this service initiative is called Papercut and has
been in this business for over ten years. This program allows for several methods of
customization so that each college can tailor the settings to their liking and needs (Papercut
for Education, 2014).
There is very little needed for this program to get started. The license needs to be
bought but a company like Papercut has competitive pricing because there is not a lot of
overhead to pay for marketing or reseller margins. In fact it likely that these colleges will
see a return on this investment in as little as one semester depending on the severity of the
wasteful printing (Papercut for Education, 2014). While no new printers are necessary to
start this project new print release computer stations will be necessary, at least two per
institution. All three of the colleges already have ‘Quick Print’ stations that can be modified
to include this release software but at least two will be needed to reduce wait time of
students, staff and faculty. There are licenses that will need to be purchased such as the
Advanced Client license which allows for administrative searching in Papercut and the
actual user interface of the Print Release Station that is needed per designated computer.
Lastly, there is the Save Paper Environmental Impact Widget that can be bought for each
user for ten cents. This widget shows the volume of items printed and also tell the user the
amount of carbon their job used as well as how many trees they have cut down to date.
Along with this the widget shows a monthly estimate of what it costs to print and the
amount of energy their jobs takes to complete (Save Paper Widget, 2014).
The best time to implement this project would be over a break before the semester
so that library staff has a chance to get familiar with it. Winter break would be the most
ideal because the learning process will still be fresh in their minds while showing students
and others how to use the system. Winter breaks are also ideal because while there may be
a lot of small building projects the numbers in reference and circulation are slower. This is
ideal because often it is these two groups in a library that handle the everyday questions
about how to use library technology. Also, during the winter break at these colleges a large
number of international students remain on campus as well as residential life staff and
other groups; this is helpful because then the staff will be able to see any of the potential
issues from a student perspective before there are thousands of them present.
There should be only a small amount of staff time dedicated to learning this
program and that would come primarily from the systems librarians at each college. The
simplest way for the rest of the staff to learn how to use the system would be for these
librarians to learn the details of how it works and any potential issues and then hold a brief
session with the entirety of the library staff. It would also be helpful if they created a quick
guide to using the program that could be placed near the stations. Lastly, there should be
some type of marketing in place for this project so that library patrons are aware that
printing at the library has changed. This does not need to be anything major and can be
handled in house as there are Marketing Committees at these institutions.
Rough Timeline
Last Weeks of the Fall Semester – Acquire the new computers and
establish a space for these new Print Release Stations
First Week of Winter Break – Purchase all of the print management
system requirements and set up the new computers.
Second Week of Winter Break – Systems Librarian will teach a
session on the basics of using the print management system to the
library staff as a whole, and potentially a more in-depth session for
those who will be answering questions most often about the new
system such as reference or circulation staff.
Mid-Break – Marketing Committees come up with ideas to promote
the Print Release Stations through signage as well as digest posts and
other methods.
Remainder of Winter Break – Staff gets comfortable using the
program as users but also by assisting the small number of students
on campus over the break
If all of this goes according to plan the system could be up and running within a
month and getting full-scale use in the spring semester.
How to know if the program is working though? Papercut suggests that most
educational institutions see a full return on investment in as little as a few months. The
easiest way to track the success of this new program is to simply compare spending in the
year to year budgets. An average week at one of these colleges roughly 9 boxes of paper
are ordered weekly and each comes with 8 reams of paper. Another thing to check in the
budget is how much toner has been bought prior to the print management system
compared to after. Lastly, Gettysburg College collects forgotten or duplicate print jobs and
recycles them into notepads for the college community and the frequency of this can be
tracked and would be an easy way to identify whether or not there are less jobs being left
behind.
However, it is not just about the budget and money saved but also what the users
think. None of these institutions charge students, staff of faculty to print and community
members only pay a small fee. Perhaps mid-semester a short survey on patron satisfaction
could be done. This would include questions about whether or not they like the system,
wait time for the print release stations, if the environmental widget makes them think
about their printing and if they feel this is saving paper and time.
Budget *See Appendix A for a more detailed description of the budget items*
Licenses
Individual User Licenses (x 7,500) $ 2,465.00
Advanced Client License (x 4) $ 40.00
Print Release Station License (x 11) $ 2,035.00
Installation of Print Management Software
Implementation Pack $ 250.00
Physical Delivery $ 39.00
Other
Save Paper Environmental Impact Widget $ 1,500.00
Dell Desktop Computer (x 6) $ 1799.94
TOTAL $ 8128.94
Conclusion
This project is not unique and has been successfully implemented at various
institutions but a project like this does have the potential to cut down on the wasteful
printing practices at these three colleges. If this project works out well in the library it is
possible that it can spread to other labs throughout the campuses which will result in more
environmentally friendly colleges. The money saved will allow for other projects to
flourish and can help create better collections or study spaces or services that will enhance
the overall value of Gettysburg, Dickinson and Franklin and Marshall College.
Appendix A
In-Depth Budget Description
Item Description Cost
Licensing Cost for
7500 Users
This covers all potential users between students,
staff and faculty at the colleges.
$2,465.00
Advanced Client
License
This is an administrative account that allows the
user to search all accounts. Two are included in
the initial fee but all institutions should have at
least two of these accounts.
$10.00 per license
$40.00 TOTAL
Print Release
Station License
This is the user interface that would need to be
installed on the computers that directly releases the
print jobs by entering identifying information. One
is included in the initial fee but each institution
should have four of these stations.
$185.00 per license
$2035.00 TOTAL
Implementation
Pack
This covers a year’s worth of upgrades, developer
support and a guarantee that the yearly
$250.00
subscription is only 20% of the original licensing
price.
Physical Delivery This is a physical delivery of a USB drive with the
latest upgrade, full documentation and a copy of
the license.
$39.00
Save Paper
Environmental
Impact Widget
This widget allows each user to see their volume
of printing per month as well as how many trees
have been cut down, the amount of carbon and
energy used as well as a monthly estimate of their
printing costs.
$1,500.00
TOTAL $8128.94
References
ACLCP: Mission Statement. (2014). http://www2.aclcp.org/?Mission
Cunningham, H., (2012). Partnering for paper reduction. Feliciter, 58(1), 18-18. Retrieved
fromhttp://web.a.ebscohost.com.ezproxy2.library.drexel.edu/ehost/pdfviewer/pdf
viewer?sid=821107e5-3ef8-46e5-99aa
59252d1afade%40sessionmgr4004&vid=3&hid=4201
Dempsey, M. E., & Palilonis, A. (2012). Reuse, recycle ... reduce: A greener library with print
management. Library Hi Tech, 30(3), 408-417. Retrieved from
http://www.emeraldinsight.com.ezproxy2.library.drexel.edu/doi/pdfplus/10.1108
/07378831211266555
Enis, M. (2014). Reservation management. Library Journal, 139(17), 49-49. Retrieved from
http://web.a.ebscohost.com.ezproxy2.library.drexel.edu/ehost/detail/detail?vid=7
&sid=821107e5-3ef8-46e5-99aa-
59252d1afade%40sessionmgr4004&hid=4201&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZQ
%3d%3d#db=llf&AN=98718239
Enis, M., (2012). Print control. Library Journal, 137(12), 38-40. Retrieved from
http://web.a.ebscohost.com.ezproxy2.library.drexel.edu/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfview
er?vid=10&sid=821107e5-3ef8-46e5-99aa-
59252d1afade%40sessionmgr4004&hid=4201
Papercut for Education – Print control software for schools, colleges and Universities.
(2014). http://www.papercut.com/solutions/printer-control-for-education/
Privacy – An Interpretation of the Library Bill of Rights. (2014).
http://www.ala.org/advocacy/intfreedom/librarybill/interpretations/privacy
Save Paper Desktop Widget – Save Paper the Fun Way! (2014)
http://www.papercut.com/products/save-paper-widget/