Wireless Laptop Project Bierce Library

1
Wireless Laptop Project_at_ Bierce Library

• Jim Benson
• Senior Library Associate, Bierce Library
• Susan DiRenzo
• Systems Coordinator, University Libraries
• Phyllis OConnor
• Associate Dean, University Libraries
• Case Western Reserve University 4.25.01

2
Institutional Benefits

• Reducing cost of wiring
• Reducing space devoted to labs
• Ease of support
• Ability to gather information from a small group

3
Benefits To Students and Faculty

• Standard hardware software configuration
• Faster and more reliable support
• Ease of use requiring little assistance
• Users can setup applications to suit themselves
• Users have mobility

4
Pilot Distribution

• 220 School of Law students, faculty, staff
• 60 Bierce Library for lending
• 11 Faculty Senate Computing Committee
• 15 Delta Gamma Sorority
• 30 VP/CIO Division
• 10 Maintenance stock

5
Network

• Campus-wide site survey
• Local consulting firm
• Location and number of access points, types of
  antennas
• Access Points (Cisco Aironet 340 Series)
• 11 Mbps
• 802.11b compliant
• Supports Windows 2000
• Approximately 29 located in Bierce Library
• Adapters (Cisco Aironet AIR-PCM340)
• 802.11b compliant
• Supports up to 128-bit Wired Equivalent Privacy
  (WEP) encryption

6
Hardware

• IBM ThinkPad (T20 - Model 2647-81U)
• Pentium III 700
• 128 MB Memory
• 12 GB hard Drive
• 14" XGA display
• 6x DVD
• Lithium battery
• Built in 56k modem - 10/100 Ethernet
• Cisco Wireless PCMCIA Card
• 3.5 Floppy Drive
• A/C adaptor

7
Software

• Operating System
• Windows 2000
• Select list of standard applications
• Microsoft Office 2000 Professional
• Adobe Acrobat Reader
• McAfee Anti-virus
• Hummingbird Host Explorer
• Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.5
• Netscape 4.76 (added by Library)
• Applications recently added by library
• Visual Studio (Visual Basic, C)
• SAS
• SPSS

8
Bierce Librarys Laptop Lending Program

• Equipment
• INNOPAC Setup/Preparation
• Security
• Desktop Image
• Support/Maintenance
• Circulation Policy
• Circulation Procedures
• Service Desk/Staffing
• Usage Statistics/Survey

9
Equipment

• Cabinets
• 2 NoteSys Flexi-Carts
• Lockdown cables
• Kensington Notebook Saver
• Power supplies (1 included w/each laptop)
• Remain plugged into cabinets, do not circ at this
  time
• Extra batteries and chargers
• 2 chargers and four extra batteries
• Port replicators
• 2 purchased for restores and refreshes

10
INNOPAC Setup and Preparation

• Create Bib record
• Create Item Record
• Create new Item Type
• Create new Loan Rule
• Edit Loan Rule Selection Table

11
Laptop Bib Record
12
Laptop Item Record
13
Laptop Loan Rule
14
Laptop Loan Rule Determiner
15
Grace Period Added to Loan Rule
16
Security

• Hardware
• Laptops security stripped
• Gates at main entrance/exit
• Possible installation of cameras at other exits
• IBM and Cisco serial numbers logged (INNOPAC and
  PC Repair database)
• One 1 laptop/adapter card has been stolen

17
Security

• Network
• Authentication/Login
• Access point to server
• LEAP (Lightweight Extensible Authentication
  Protocol) client installed on laptops
• Once authenticated, logged in to network
• Password synchronization (UNIX /Windows 2000)
• OS
• Installs should be disabled (if not, PCR-Dist
  would wipe out)
• Passwords not cached locally

18
Desktop Image

• Ghost
• Restore/re-image
• Add to domain, set printers, set admin password
• Used to create and distribute laptop image
• New images created for major system changes
• Library is currently on third image
• PCR-Dist
• Refresh
• Updates for image (short cuts, new software,
  wallpaper, etc.)
• Need to establish procedure/schedule for refreshes

19
Support/Maintenance

• Library Systems does some support and maintenance
  (image maintenance, refreshing, basic
  troubleshooting)
• Collaborate with Learning Technologys Help Desk
  and Campus PC-Repair
• Will soon implement a refresh (PC-RDIST) procedure

20
Circulation Policy

• 2 hour loan period, 1 renewal
• Fine 10/hour, 200/maximum
• 15 minute grace period
• University ID held while the laptop is checked
  out
• 2000 minimum replacement for laptop
• Up to 100 replacement for components
• Limited to current UA students, faculty, and staff

21
Circulation Procedures

• Checklist to protect both parties
• Boot-up and shutdown at desk (most time-consuming
  part)
• Lockdown cable optional
• Visual inspection of floppy drive and wireless
  card
• 2nd Identification card to verify Univ. ID

22
Service Desk Issues

• Needed to open a separate service desk
• 15 student employees working 12-20 hours a week
  (approx. 225 hours total)
• Laptops circulate from time library opens until
  30 minutes before library closes

23
Usage Patterns

• Average circulation is 115 per day
• Varies daily from as few as 25 on weekends to as
  many as 190 on weekdays
• After 6pm usage also variesfrom as few as none
  on weekends to as many as 80 on week nights

24
Feedback - Positive

• Convenience
• Privacy
• Comfort
• Mobility
• Ease of Use

25
Feedback - Negative

• Printing
• Connectivity Limited To The Building
• Loan Length
• Lack of Shared Server Space
• CD-ROM Drives, Zip Drives, Mice

26
Survey Results

• How comfortable was the laptop to use?
• 62 -- Easy to use, comfortable
• 29 -- Not bad I got used to it
• 07 -- The keyboard, mouse or display was
  difficult to use
• 02 -- Uncomfortable I couldnt get my
• work done

27
Survey Results

• Did the laptop have all of the software that you
  needed?
• 75 --Yes
• 25 --No
• Visual Studio and Real Player were most requested
  additional software

28
Survey Results

• Please rate the checkout process
• 43 -- Efficient and quick
• 45 -- About what I expected
• 12 -- Took too long

29
Conclusions

• Program developed some experience for further
  testing on a larger scale
• Students are receptive, even excited, about the
  laptop program
• Solved some of the librarys need for additional
  public workstations

30
Future Plans

• Address need for peripherals
• Increase number of lending laptops
• Respond to University-wide laptop requirement

31
The Last Word

• The laptops are great . . .a wireless LAN across
  the campus would kick ass.
• -Student comment from laptop survey

32
Wireless Laptop Project_at_ Bierce Library

• Presentation
• http//www.uakron.edu/library/laptops/presentation
  s/cwru42501.html
• The University of Akron Laptop Initiative
• Pilot Project
• http//www.uakron.edu/laptop/
• jbenson_at_uakron.edu
• direnzo_at_uakron.edu
• oconnor_at_uakron.edu