Individual printers v. Network printer

[Thomas M G Bennett]

Not being a public library, I still think the same issues may apply here.  Currently we are using 24 pin dot matrix printers for apx. 50 PCs and about a dozen terminals or more for public patrons.  Staff and faculty have access to an HPIII,HPIV, and HPV through Novell print queues and Win95 printer sharing.  We have ordered two HP laser Network printers to replace 16 public dot matrix printers, prmarily because we are also adding more full text databases to our access.  The networked laser printers can have devices connected to charge for each printout but we are not going that route though it may be something you'll want to consider for your use.  I've heard that costs decrease substantially when networked lser printers have been added to a library system for public patron use.  I don't know if this is because patrons don't realise they have a network printer to print to or not.  We have a 25 PC lab that we will still use with individual printers.  Other considerations includ!
e which operating system are you going to use.  With Windows 95 it is very easy to "share" printers which in a lab situation one row of computers could share a printer with a PC on the end of the row.  I'm sure others can point out loopholes I may have missed here.  :-)

Thomas- (in 8-10 inches of snow in Boone)

> 
> Hello,
> 
> We are getting ready to move our Word Processing and Internet computers
> into a lab situation, and we are trying to decide whether to keep a printer
> for each PC or to go to a network printer and have all print jobs come
> through it.
> 
> I would be interested in hearing from other public libraries as to how you
> handle your lab and the pros/cons of network printing v. individual
> workstation printing.
> 
> Thank you in advance,
> 
> 
> 
> ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
> Susie Breidenbach
> Technology Coordinator/Librarian
> Bedford Public Library
> 1323 "K" Street
> Bedford, IN 47421
> (812) 275-4471 x.301
> sbreiden at bedlib.org
> http://www.bedlib.org
> ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
>