Middlebury Printing Project

Dear Colleagues,

I write with important information about printing in public locations on campus.

Community Council, the Environmental Council, Library and Information Services, and students have long been in search of solutions to the problem of excessive and wasteful printing in public areas such as the libraries and computing labs across campus. We studied the data available from our printer maintenance vendor, reviewed paper consumption, and solicited advice from the people who use the printers in those locations. It is clear that much of the waste is due to uncertainty about printer status, location, and availability, which causes people to print multiple copies of documents. LIS decided to focus our initial efforts on encouraging individual responsibility in the printing process.  To this end, we are instituting a system that requires users to release their print jobs at public printers.

This winter, a pilot PaperCut program in the main library used a “print release station” for public printing on the main floor. This allowed people to send a document to a printer and then go to a computer station next to that printer to release the print job at the moment they were ready to collect it.  This, also, allowed them to be sure that the printer was available at that time. The response to this pilot was encouraging, with a majority of expressed opinions in support of this process. Of particular note was the dramatic reduction in abandoned print jobs and the piles of wasted paper that had become typical in this location. LIS is confident user control reduces wasted printing, therefore, between May 20 and May 27, we will implement the PaperCut model of print release in the following public printing locations:

The main library,

Armstrong Science library in McCardell Bicentennial Hall,

Music Library in the CFA,

Sunderland computing labs,

Munroe 214,

Axinn 105, and

Robert A. Jones’ basement.

In order for students, faculty, or staff to release a print job at one of these public printers, they must log into the print management station with their Middlebury username and password.

Of course, printing within offices will not change. Release stations are for printers in public spaces on the Middlebury campus only.

As of June 8, guests (not current student, faculty, and staff) will need to use a different model and will be charged ten cents for each page (side) print in these locations.  In order for a guest to print, they will need to create a PaperCut account and have a minimal balance to cover the number of pages to be printed.  To this end, guest printing cards will be sold at the Bookstore, MiddExpress, and the Wilson Cafe for $5.00.  Guest printers will be available at the three libraries on the Middlebury campus and will be restricted to black and white.  Color printing is available through several Middlebury locations such as Main Street Stationary, the UPS Store, the Little Press Room, and Middlebury College’s Reprographics.

Obviously, guests of a department will have the option to use the department’s printer at no charge, but if you have a guest who is in need of using the public printers over an extended period of time, the department will need to purchase cards so the individual may print.

LIS is aware of a few categories of people who are not students, faculty, staff, or guests. We are working on solutions for their public printing needs. In the meantime, they should print via local or departmental printers. If you administer a group who does not fall into this category but have not been contacted by LIS about this new process, please let Ginnie Bukowski at vbukowsk@middlebury.edu or extension 5657 know.

LIS recognizes there will be an adjustment period for those who use public printing; we hope you agree that the reduction in wasted resources will make it worthwhile. We ask for your support and understanding as we make this change.

Please contact me at mdroy@middlebury.edu or extension 5490 if you have questions or concerns.

Thank you for your attention and support,

Michael D. Roy

L. Douglas and Laura J. Meredith Dean of Library and Information Services

Filed under: Printing