Library : Computing Environment

Assistance to All

 

Assistance is a collaboration between library staff and data services.  See the computer lab manager for help or referral concerning:

• technical problems with college-issued computers and wireless Internet access 
• basic advice about operation of personal laptops on campus
• availabale hardware and software
• your need for computer-related training

Selected free and low cost resources on the Web are listed at Technology Tutorials and Guides.

Hardware   

The campus computers operate in a Windows environment, with XP as the current standard operating system.

Wireless access to the Internet is provided throughout the campus.

Hardware Locations

Library computer lab:  Room 117G has more than 25 PCs and two printers.
The XP machines LAB 1-15 have read-only CD drives and also USB ports for memory sticks or other USB-compatible storage media.  External floppy drives with USB cable are available at the circulation desk.
The XP machines LAB 16 - LAB 25 are also equipped with combination CD / DVD-ROM drives, as indicated by the label near the drive.

All computers print at the networked laser printers.  Laptop users can connect to the USB cable located on the table between the printers.  It is important to follow the information on the yellow card attached to the cable. Additional driver software is available, but generally is not needed.

Library imaging computers: In the media viewing cubicles, "Imaging 1" has radiology teaching files automatically running from a videodisc player, and is also set up for other programs about diagnostic imaging. 

Library reference computers: Located near the reference desk, these PCs are dedicated to database searching and research problem-solving. No "web-surfing" or e-mail, please!

Health Center: Room 201S has several PCs. These machines are used for word processing and Internet. Like any campus computer with Internet access, they are also used to search the Web-based research databases.

Classrooms:  Several classroom presentation systems are outfitted with permanently installed computers.  Others require a laptop.  Loaner laptops are available by reservation at the library only for use in the classroom and off-campus at approved outreach events.

Student Lounge:  Convenient for checking e-mail and web sites.  No printer. 

 

Software

Most college-issued laptops and desktops run Microsoft Office 2003 on XP.

Access to instructional software programs varies.  Some programs are restricted to use in the computer lab due to licensing, and many others circulate overnight or for one week.

Advice for All Users

Compatibility Issues

Prevent incompatibility between software versions:
Compatibility of software versions between home and college can be an issue.  Most campus computers provide Microsoft Office Professional Edition (Word, Excel, PowerPoint 2003) and Internet Explorer, operating in an XP environment.    Anyone who uses a different version at home than is available on campus should save documents in a manner compatible with the version installed on campus, in order to further edit and print on campus.  In Word, saving a copy of a document in .txt or .rtf  format is additional insurance.  Rich text format retains some basic formatting.

Prevent problems with file transfer when using a USB memory stick, or CD storage:
Storage media may also be incompatible with campus computers.  It is wise to test the storage medium used to transfer files from home to campus well in advance.  USB memory sticks or e-mail attachments are the preferred media for file transfer to a campus computer.  Occasionally, campus computers require the driver on a USB memory stick to be loaded at each use.  See Computer Lab manager for assistance.  

Even though campus computers have CD-drives, they may not be able to read CD-RW.  Rewritable CD-RW works well on a single computer used to both save and open the files. It is better to use CD-R if the files are likely to be opened on a different computer. 

Safe Computing

Back up your data external media.  USB memory sticks are generally reliable, but are easily misplaced and can wear out.   RECOMMENDATION:    Back-up important files to physically separate locations.  External media are preferred so that files will not be affected by any virus or crash that would damage the hard drive or your desktop or laptop.  Also maintain a retirement program for your storage media.  A consistent file naming system for college work enables easy recognition and retrieval of documents.

Use anti-virus software. Norton Antivirus protects computers in the lab. RECOMMENDATION: Invest in some kind of antivirus program for your home system, and learn to update it.

Mac Users

Compatibility between home and college for owners of Macs can be a challenge. If the Mac version of Microsoft Office is on a home comuter, files should open for further editing and printing on campus.  But please, test some files now--well before any deadlines.
Test compatibility early. For example, Microsoft Word for Mac is generally compatible with the college's supported version of Word.  Creating a back-up, by saving a Word for Mac document as an RTF file provides an alternative in case of technical problems.
Purchase a VGA adapter if you plan to use your Apple laptop with the classroom projection system.  The library has only a few types of VGA adapters available for loan. Test early!