Students
'SignUp' to use computers at The Beach
By
Jack Schneider
On-line Forty-Niner
The
Library Information Commons has introduced
a new log-in station monitoring a student's
activity and time spent at a computer.
The
station, called SignUp, was implemented
earlier this semester to keep track of which
computers a student could use. SignUp, made
by the Pharos Systems, which also monitors
the printing in the library, and other areas
on campus is the first station of its kind
to be used on campus.
At
the log-in station, students are assigned
four hours to a computer station, and are
logged off after 15 minutes if nobody uses
the keyboard or mouse.
Before
SignUp, the library had no way of knowing
how long students were working on a computer.
"Before
we didn't keep track of how much time was
spend on a computer." said Nadia Ruiz,
a senior computer science major, and an
employee at the Information Commons. "W
e also had students leave their I.D. cards
at the computer stations."
Henry
DuBois, associate dean for the library said
SignUp is used to make sure the library
workstations are assigned to only students
and faculty.
"It's
intended to insure that workstations in
the Information Commons are assigned only
to currently enrolled CSULB students,"
he said.
Once
students type their student identification
and Library PIN number, a computer is assigned
to the student. The students' names are
presented on a plasma screen, directing
them to the appropriate computer, unless
there is a wait.
"He
or she is placed in a queue for the first
vacant workstation," Dubois said.
Already
the student feedback has been primarily
positive, making the Information Commons
a more suitable workplace for students.
"[The
response] has been very favorable,"
said Jill Horn, technology strategist for
the library. "We have had students
say it seems like a more business like area
[to get work done]."
Senior
criminal justice major Andy Vuong said he
enjoys SignUp, but was unsure about the
inactivity log-off from the computer.
"It's
a pretty cool system," Vuong said.
"One time I was reading a book then
the computer logged me off, and I had to
re-register."
If
there is a queue on the screen, Horn said
students are assigned from the fastest computers
to the slowest computers in order of the
wait.
"These
computers are all located in the open area,"
Horn said. "The slowest ones are in
room 24B."
Since
the amount of Internet usage has increased
with student, Horn said SignUp was necessary
to have in the library in order to organize
the waiting period for students.
"Enrollment
was going up this semester and more students
were using the Internet with My CSULB and
Beachboard," Horn said. "We weren't
given any additional funds for computers
because of the budget crisis. We were looking
for a way to manage the wait list, and find
a better use for the resources."
Already
Dubois said he has received e-mails from
students suggesting ways to improve SignUp.
"Many
students want to work at a particular area
of the Information Commons or alongside
a friend, and they don't like the way the
system now assigns all workstations on a
random basis," Dubois said. "We're
trying to find a way to satisfy that concern."
With
the launch of SignUp, Dubois said other
areas on campus might have similar stations.
"If
our pilot is successful, this might be seen
on other facilities on campus like Electronic
Reference," Dubois said.
"We
were looking for a way to manage the wait
list, and find a better use for the resources."
-- Jill Horn,
technology strategist for University Library
|
