Plan ahead for printing

This is a response to Alexandra Chtchedrina’s editorial on Feb. 29 bemoaning the lack of printing facilities on campus. As a student employee of one of the numerous libraries on campus, part of my job is proctoring the printers and computing facilities in an attempt to make things run a little more smoothly.\nAlthough I realize it is frustrating when you need to get to class and you can’t find a printer, or you have to stand in line to use one, please keep in mind that a little foresight can help avoid this situation. It can be difficult to find an instantly available print station during peak hours, but instead of freaking out at the last second, check out https://stcweb.stc.indiana.edu/framework/Apps/Public/SiteRes/LabInfo.cfm for a list of Student Technology Centers on campus with available print facilities. If you are a laptop user, and you’re tired of waiting in line to print, go here: http://www.kb.iu.edu/data/ammz.html, where you can get information on downloading the IU print finder utility. This will allow you to wirelessly connect to and use the nearest available RTC or STC printer using your notebook. Also, you may want to speak with your instructors about allowing electronic submission via email or Oncourse, although these options have drawbacks as well.\nI agree with Alexandra that it would be nice to have a print station on every floor of every building. However, the average cost of one of these stations is around $3,000, plus paper, toner and maintenance. You do the math. Every week there are editorials and Jordan River Forum letters pleading a case for funding increases for everything from more classroom space to better quality toilet paper at the IMU. While the case for increased print facility funding may have merit, so do some of these other causes, and the University simply has to prioritize who gets what when working with a limited budget. Of course, these printer problems could probably be avoided altogether if people took an extra 10 minutes or so to familiarize themselves with STC locations and/or download wireless printing utilities. Doing so can make everyone’s life easier, including mine.