[WEB4LIB] C irculating Laptops

[TMGB]

We started circulating laptops this past January through our Reserves
counter.  We have 10 IBM Thinkpads in use with Cabletron's wireless
technology.  There are 4 wireless access points to cover the notebooks
on any of the three floors of the library.  We've found also that the
Cabletron system is compatible with the Lucid system in use by a campus
lab which means those computers with the Lucid card can use our wireless
systems in the Library if someone comes in with one.  This compatibility
is based on the setting Network Name for the network card.

A student may check out a laptop for two hours, renewable, after signing
a contract which was approved by the University Attorney.  The contract
makes the student liable for loss or damages.  The Thinkpad, power
supply, and ethernet card are all three bar coded into our III system. 
An illustrated set of instructions for operating and inserting the card
correctly into the correct slot is included in the Thinkpad case.  A
survey is also included in each case for the user to let us know how
well it went and what he or she liked or didn't like about the system.

One of the most frequent problems is not logging onto the network.  The
PCs are set up to auto login using profiles and policies from my NT
server.  If a Thinkpad doesn't find a network, it will boot up anyway
which means there will be no access to things like our CDs on the tower
and Office suite applications on the Novell server.  I haven't found a
way to make these notebooks react like a regular PC which is not to
login until there has been network validation of the login name and
password.  Usually this problem is caused when the card is not put in or
put in improperly like not pushed in all the way or in the wrong slot. 

We've had both positive and negative reaction to this system but mostly
positive.  I don't think a WEB accessible report has been done yet, but
we do have stats on the use of the system through our III database.

Thomas



Library Student wrote:
> 
> Is anyone aware of a library that circulates laptops to their patrons?
> 
> Keshia
> 
> ________________________________________________________________________
> Get Your Private, Free E-mail from MSN Hotmail at http://www.hotmail.com

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Thomas McMillan Grant Bennett      Appalachian State University
Computer Consultant II             University Library
bennettt at am.appstate.edu          
http://www.library.appstate.edu/webmaster/
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