•  
  •  
 

Abstract

Approximately five years ago, the library at Emporia State University started a laptop checkout program to provide laptops for students and faculty members to checkout and use while they are in the library. The program has been highly successful with students often waiting in line to be able to check out a laptop. In 2009, the library purchased eight Netbooks to see how they would be received by the individuals using the laptop checkout program. With the beginning of the Fall 2010 semester, some modifications were made to the laptop checkout program including reducing the fines for late returns and extending the checkout period. Because the program has been in place for some time, the librarians at the Emporia State University Libraries would like to assess the program by surveying the individuals that check out laptops from the library. In this article, the authors will explore laptop programs in a variety of library settings, present details on the ESU Libraries Laptop Checkout program, discuss the survey results, present what the library faculty and staff have learned, and potential future modifications to the program.

Creative Commons License

Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 License.

References

Atlas, M.C., Garza, F. & Hinshaw, R. (2007). Use of laptop computers in an academic medical library. Medical Reference Services Quarterly, 26:2, 27-36. http://dx.doi.org/10.1300/J115v26n02_03.

Barnett-Ellis, P. & Charnigo, L. (2005). Wireless networks in medium-sized academic libraries: a national survey. Information Technology and Libraries, 24:1, 13-21.

Di Renzo, S. (2002). A wireless laptop-lending program: The University of Akron experience. Technical Services Quarterly, 20:2, 1-12. http://dx.doi.org/10.1300/J124v20n02_01.

Dugan, R. E. (2001). Managing laptops and the wireless network at the Mildred F. Sawyer Library. The Journal of Academic Librarianship, 27:4, 295-298.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S0099-1333(01)00230-0

Emporia State University. (2010). About ESU on the Emporia State University website. Retrieved from http://www.emporia.edu/info/about/.

Feldmann, L., Wess, L., & Moothart, T. (2008). An assessment of student satisfaction with a circulating laptop service. Information Technology and Libraries, 27:2, 20-25.

Holden, H. & Deng, M. (2005). Taking pro-action: A survey of potential users before the availability of wireless access and the implementation of a wireless notebook computer lending program in an academic library. Library Hi Tech, 23:4, 561-575.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/07378830510636346.

Holden, H. & Hsieh, M. L. (2007). The state of wireless laptop lending programs: a survey of academic libraries. Library Hi Tech, 25:2, 260-275.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/07378830710755018.

Hsieh, M. L. & Holden, H. (2008). A university library laptop lending service: An analysis using two student surveys. Library Hi Tech, 26:3, 424-439.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/07378830810903346.

Jensen, K. (2007). Beyond “classroom” technology: The equipment circulation program at Rasmuson Library, University of Alaska Fairbanks. Journal of Access Services, 5:1, 221-231.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/15367960802198770.

Lyle, H. (1999). Circulating laptop computers at West Virginia University. Information Outlook, 3:11, 30+. Retrieved from Academic OneFile. Web. 21 July 2010.

McAdoo, M. L. & Tease, J. (1998). The Mansfield protocol for laptop computer circulation: How a library can provide its own technical support. College & Research Libraries News, 59:7, 507-8.

Power, J. L. (2008). Circulation on the go: Implementing wireless laptop circulation in a state university academic library. Journal of Access Services, 5:1, 197-209.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/15367960802198754.

Sharpe, P. A. (2009). Circulating laptops: Lessons learned in an academic library. Journal of Access Services, 6, 337-345. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/15367960902894195.

Share

COinS