Self-Service Laptop Solutions for Libraries and Self-Service Laptop Lockers for Universities
With UK universities now able to charge up to £9,000 tuition fees, higher education establishments need to provide the best possible student experience to remain competitive and attract applicants. For cash-strapped students who cannot afford their own laptops, the quality of IT services and the availability of laptop loans in university libraries can influence where they choose to study. Unfortunately for some universities, availability of librarians can limit their capacity to offer these services, but the introduction of self-service laptop lockers can resolve this problem.
So how exactly do self-service laptop lockers work? Made from steel, each locker bay safely secures each laptop, netbook or tablet whilst it is not in use and charges the device ready for when it is needed. If a student requires a laptop, they simply present their library card to the issuing panel on the locker, and the cabinet will recommend a bay that a student can remove a fully charged laptop from. When the device is returned to the locker, and the door has been closed, the bay will then be ready to be allocated to another student. As a result, the cabinet can record which student has taken, returned or damaged a piece of equipment. In offering a loan system of this kind, universities can use their resources more efficiently and greatly improve the IT on offer to students, helping to increase overall student experience.
Whereas manual loan schemes require a librarian to dish out a laptop or tablet in exchange for a student's library card, self-service lockers leave staff free to get on with their other duties, potentially cutting costs if staff working hours are reduced. What is more, self-service systems can be set up to issue laptops throughout the day right up until a library closes, whereas manual systems can only operate during a librarian's working hours. Self-service lockers give students access to equipment whenever they need it, making things much easier for students who may only be able to use the library at particular times due to lectures and part-time work commitments.
Although laptop lockers provide students with greater flexibility in terms of when equipment can be loaned, universities may be concerned about how these laptops are charged, especially when it comes to keeping track of their AC adaptors. Some laptop lockers can be fitted with pre-configured charging cables to replace each device's AC adaptor so that this additional equipment does not need to be stored in the cabinet.
These short cables reduce the time taken to replace laptops into the cabinet and also come with energy saving options than can shut down the power to a laptop when it fully charged. Such systems save energy, and thus energy bills, and protect battery life, further saving universities money because they would not have to buy replacement laptops as frequently. In addition to self-service loans, laptop lockers can also provide students with a safe haven in which to store their personal IT equipment. With students often choosing to live away from campus, many students do not have a safe place that they can leave their laptops to recharge whilst they attend lectures or seminars. By investing in laptop lockers, universities can reduce this problem, meaning that students would not have to carry around their heavy equipment all day.
With UK universities now able to charge up to £9,000 tuition fees, higher education establishments need to provide the best possible student experience to remain competitive and attract applicants. For cash-strapped students who cannot afford their own laptops, the quality of IT services and the availability of laptop loans in university libraries can influence where they choose to study. Unfortunately for some universities, availability of librarians can limit their capacity to offer these services, but the introduction of self-service laptop lockers can resolve this problem.
So how exactly do self-service laptop lockers work? Made from steel, each locker bay safely secures each laptop, netbook or tablet whilst it is not in use and charges the device ready for when it is needed. If a student requires a laptop, they simply present their library card to the issuing panel on the locker, and the cabinet will recommend a bay that a student can remove a fully charged laptop from. When the device is returned to the locker, and the door has been closed, the bay will then be ready to be allocated to another student. As a result, the cabinet can record which student has taken, returned or damaged a piece of equipment. In offering a loan system of this kind, universities can use their resources more efficiently and greatly improve the IT on offer to students, helping to increase overall student experience.
Whereas manual loan schemes require a librarian to dish out a laptop or tablet in exchange for a student's library card, self-service lockers leave staff free to get on with their other duties, potentially cutting costs if staff working hours are reduced. What is more, self-service systems can be set up to issue laptops throughout the day right up until a library closes, whereas manual systems can only operate during a librarian's working hours. Self-service lockers give students access to equipment whenever they need it, making things much easier for students who may only be able to use the library at particular times due to lectures and part-time work commitments.
Although laptop lockers provide students with greater flexibility in terms of when equipment can be loaned, universities may be concerned about how these laptops are charged, especially when it comes to keeping track of their AC adaptors. Some laptop lockers can be fitted with pre-configured charging cables to replace each device's AC adaptor so that this additional equipment does not need to be stored in the cabinet.
These short cables reduce the time taken to replace laptops into the cabinet and also come with energy saving options than can shut down the power to a laptop when it fully charged. Such systems save energy, and thus energy bills, and protect battery life, further saving universities money because they would not have to buy replacement laptops as frequently. In addition to self-service loans, laptop lockers can also provide students with a safe haven in which to store their personal IT equipment. With students often choosing to live away from campus, many students do not have a safe place that they can leave their laptops to recharge whilst they attend lectures or seminars. By investing in laptop lockers, universities can reduce this problem, meaning that students would not have to carry around their heavy equipment all day.
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