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 title of the newsletter: The Silverfish

 

June 2004

Vol VIII Issue V
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Free Laptops: Taking Advantage of iSchool Technology

By Jason Fetty, MLIS Day
As part of the technology fees you pay to the University of Washington and the Information School, you get access to a wealth of technology resources. Yet, as an iSchool lab assistant, I do not see many graduate students take advantage of them. Hopefully, this article can make students more aware of what is available.

For example, how many realize you can check out laptop—and now tablet—PCs free for up to five days? Or, perhaps you know and not considered some of the benefits including:
• Software. With a laptop you have access to iSchool software most think is only available in the labs such as Photoshop, Dreamweaver, SPSS, SQL Server, and many, many more. If you need such software and can’t afford it (and that’s gotta be everyone), this allows you to work on projects outside of the iSchool—anywhere you can take the laptop.
• Mobility. Get out of the noisy iSchool labs and find yourself a quiet corner to work. If you are working on a group project and need PC-access, you won’t have to run the risk of not finding space in the labs for your group.
• Wireless. You can get on the Internet anywhere with wireless access, including other parts of campus, coffee shops, and even McDonalds—not that you want to eat there.

Checking laptops out is easy. First, go to http://www.ischool.washington.edu/technology/checkouts.aspx or navigate to it from the iSchool homepage.

iSchool tech checkout scrennshot

Log in using your iSchool username and password:

log in screenshot

Then, either check out a laptop now (if one is available) or make a reservation for future use, and then follow the steps:

checkout screenshot

When the time comes just grab a lab assistant and tell them you are ready for check out:

image of girl at computer

Other stuff is available for check out too, including:
• Table PCs.
• Mini-projectors.
• Digital recorders.
• Dictaphones.
• Hard drives and servers.
• At some point a digital camera and digital camcorder.

You are paying for all this equipment whether or not you use it—it’s there for your benefit. Please ask lab assistants for help, including myself; please feel free to ask me for assistance whether I am on duty or not. Using the equipment here has greatly benefited my and I hope it might do the same for you.

Other potential campus technology resources:

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