[LIBRARYDIR] [EXTERNAL] laptop lending

[Dawn Hawley]

We have a pretty good inventory of laptops, but we do sometimes run out. We are first-come, first-serve, and we check out for the quarter. When we run out, we start an old-school waitlist. When a machine is returned, we go to the waitlist. Students have two business days after we call/email them (they provide their preferred communication method), then we move on to the next person. If they miss their pick-up window, they can get back on the list, but at the bottom. Everything resets when the quarter ends.
Dawn


Dawn Hawley
Executive Director
Library, eLearning & Academic Support
Bellingham Technical College

Library: library at btc.edu<https://outlook.office365.com/mail/options/mail/messageContent/library@btc.edu>
eLearning: eLearninghelp at btc.edu<https://outlook.office365.com/mail/options/mail/messageContent/eLearninghelp@btc.edu>
Tutoring: tutoring at btc.edu<https://outlook.office365.com/mail/options/mail/messageContent/tutoring@btc.edu>

Checkout our Diversity, Equity & Inclusion<https://sbctc-btcctc.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/discovery/collectionDiscovery?vid=01STATEWA_BTC:BELLINGHAM&collectionId=8148478260002804> eBook Collection online
I'm currently reading The Many Daughters of Afong Moy by Jamie Ford<https://www.goodreads.com/en/book/show/59348307>


________________________________
From: LIBRARYDIR <librarydir-bounces at lists.ctc.edu> on behalf of DeSure, Pearl via LIBRARYDIR <librarydir at lists.ctc.edu>
Sent: Thursday, November 30, 2023 2:06 PM
To: WACTC Library Directors <librarydir at lists.ctc.edu>
Cc: DeSure, Pearl <Pearl.DeSure at cptc.edu>
Subject: [EXTERNAL] [LIBRARYDIR] laptop lending

CAUTION: This email originated from outside of BTC. Do not click links or open attachments unless you recognize the sender and know the content is safe. If you are unsure, contact Help Desk at 360-752-8417 or e-mail helpdesk at btc.edu.

Hi all,

For those who lend out laptops, how do you manage it when demand exceeds supply?

Students are allowed to place laptops on hold and the list fills up quickly. This quarter we had 30+ students who requested a laptop when none were available. They will be prioritized for next quarter after they confirm they are still interested in borrowing one.

This whole process has gotten unwieldy with the amount of communication involved. We're trying to make it as equitable as possible but are finding we have to contact students multiple times to pick up their equipment, confirm interest for the following quarter, etc.

We're considering moving to a first-come, first-served model, or at least a cap on the waitlist, but I'm concerned about knock-off effects (i.e. students who live far away, who don't know about laptops in time, etc.). This would be a pretty drastic change so we wouldn't implement it until Spring Quarter. If anyone has any ideas or has had more success with their own processes, I'm very open to hearing them!

Thank you,
Pearl



Pearl DeSure
Faculty Librarian
Clover Park Technical College
Library/Learning Resource Center<https://cptc.libguides.com/library>
Building 15, rm. 113A
4500 Steilacoom Blvd. SW
Lakewood, WA 98499
T: 253.589.6067<tel:253.589.6067>
Educating tomorrow's workforce.

"Great things are done by a series of small things brought together."
Vincent van Gogh

-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://lists.ctc.edu/pipermail/librarydir_lists.ctc.edu/attachments/20231130/d748c055/attachment.htm>