Seats at the express workstations and staplers

You wrote:

I wish you have bar stools for the l0 min computers. I am OLD and standing for 10 min hurts my legs.

Would you please chain a stabler to the leg of one of t he tables or chairs after the workers have left the library? Last night I had to submit my work to my professor. I found it inconvenient to leave my papers unstable in her mail box. She could mix up my papers.  Don’t expect me to carry a stable and other stationery around because they are too heavy and too expensive for a poor student.

Thank you.

Thank you for your email.  In the Webster Library, there are express workstations that are at a lower level and that have chairs.  If you have trouble standing for a certain period of time, please use them.  They are there for you.  At the Vanier Library, it is true that there are no seats available at the express workstations.  I have passed your suggestion to the Vanier Library Director.

As for the stapler….unfortunately, the stapler at the Webster Library has to be put away at the end of service hours because otherwise the stapler will be stolen or broken beyond repair.  This happens even when it is attached to the furniture. Nevertheless, I have passed your comment on to the Director of the Webster Library.

High demand for lab space

You wrote:

I came to work in the small lab in Webster, and saw there was a sign saying there was a workshop to take place from 5:30-8:30. While that is normally fine, it was 6pm and there was a grand total of two students plus the librarian in the lab. This is really insane. This is wasting a potentially useful resource for those two. If at 6pm none other than two showed up how can you justify blocking it to the rest of us who need to work? It would be incredibly appreciated if there is found to be low attendance for workshops, to consider opening it to others, while  informing them of the potential distraction and to act responsibly and work quietly. Especially with it being a busy time of year, this seems selfish and incredibly frustrating.

Thank you for your comment.  Something similar was suggested earlier in the term.  You can see my response here.  In the plans for the Webster Library renovations, there are several small-group instruction rooms.

SPSS on Libraries’ laptops

You wrote:

….Computers and group work are both rising in university requirements. Instead of trying to stop the flow, we need to address the issue productively and find a way of funneling the students who need to work together on a terminal into an area where it does not bother other students.

for example, I am currently at one of the few terminals where the software SPSS can be accessed at the university, but it is on the LB’s 2nd floor (near the question desk). Shortly I will be joined by my “team mate” with whom I will be completing a joint assignment. I am one of those people who HATES it when
people talk (even the question desk irks me! -although I realize that is its function, and would not complain.) That said, I need to do this, I need my
team mate’s input, and this is the terminal with the software. I cannot install it onto a library laptop, and neither he, nor I have a laptop….

All the library laptops have the SPSS software installed.  A complete list of the software available on the Libraries’ desktops and laptops is available here.  If you borrow a library laptop and you stay on the University’s wifi system, you can use SPSS. If you need to talk with a classmate, you can move to any of the University’s public areas available to you.  Thank you for your question.

LB 203 booked for instruction

You wrote:

As a Masters student, I tend to spend a good chunk of time researching in the library.  Unfortunately, a chunk of my time is also spent trying to actually find a computer to work on. This is absolutely ridiculous, and almost as infuriating as the new ‘printing’ system (but that’s another issue on its own ). 

Traditionally, my one haven in the (downtown) library has been the small lab near the reserve room.  It’s quiet, out of the way, and fantastic for working for hours on end. What has happened recently is that the lab is taken up by ‘library workshops’. While I realize this was the original intention of the lab, this is completely unjustified in light of the reality of the paucity of computers. I cannot begin to tell you how infuriating it is to run around trying to find a computer, and pass by the lab, barred to regular use while four and a half students rapturedly listen to the evolution of citation styles, in a room that has over 30 computers.
In what way is this justified? When a workshop is in session, we aren’t allowed in even if the room is three-quarters empty. If we are able to block out the noise and won’t disturb, this type of monopolization should not be allowed.

I was absolutely increduled to just come from seeing the lab completely empty but locked, with the time slot 10-4 blocked off. I was told that due to there being numerous workshops, it was locked “so that the librarians won’t have the unpleasant act of kicking students out”. So for that reason, perfectly functional computers are barred from use. I find this the unfortunately typical type of response in the library- I suppose it would not occur to anyone
to simply put up a sign saying, “please note that in 1.5hours, there will be a class and you will have to leave?” This would save the librarians the burden but enable people to at least get some work done. Whose interests is this intended to be for?

I’m actually counting my lucky stars that I actually found a computer, as this is a rare find
these days. Please take this (extremely frequent) concern/frustration/injustice into consideration- we have legitimate work to do, and the location that ought to be most conducive to encouraging it, is simply not.

Thank you for your email. I have forwarded it to the Director of the Webster Library.

I understand your frustration, however, I can tell you that LB 203 *is* heavily used for instruction sessions. That’s what it is there for. Until a few years ago, it was exclusively used for that purpose. Also, staff has told me that, unfortunately, *some* students are extremely unpleasant when they are told to leave the room when it is needed for a class.

As for your suggestion to allow people to use the room while it is in use for a lecture, I think that would be highly inappropriate. It would be very disruptive to the lecturer and to the students in the class to have outsiders there. Imagine such a thing in any of your own classes? How would you feel?

Unfortunately, until the Webster Library undergoes its major renovations, students will have to look at the room’s schedule, which is posted on its door. You can also call the Information Desk at 514-848-2424-7700 to find out that room’s availability, before leaving home.

Difficult printing situation

You wrote:

I would like to commend the DPrint team for trying to provide us with fast and updated machines that can scan, print in color, and be accessible anywhere on campus. For that, we really do appreciate it. And everywhere else on campus, it seems to work very well.

But. The system is simply not functional in the library. Rather than alleviate stress as intended, it enhances it. The system is not user friendly nor self-evident in the least, the machines are balky and stubborn, consistently break down, have a ridiculous delay between print jobs, it takes forever to log in as the snazzy ‘swipe’ mechanism usually does not work, the machines log you out, and rather than tell you how much money you have left, it cheerfully churns out paper saying “lack of funds”. How is this sustainable?  How is this helpful?

I spend a good chunk of my time trying to help other hapless students struggling with the system. The back-logs are incredible, the line-ups snake up to the librarian’s desks, and the tension is so thick you could cut it with a knife. People are panicking, and since that all the old but reliable machines have been removed, we have no alternative. The librarians are not well equipped to handle this, and in fact, have informed me that they are not even allowed to touch the machines, should there be a jam, or say, a need to fill up on the basics such as ink and paper which we desperately rely on. Instead, they are instructed to contact your team or IITS who, even if well-intentioned, will do nothing after hours, leaving us stranded.

On behalf of the Concordia student body, we implore you to address this. There should have been a pilot (actually, there was…) and have it test-driven by students. We stay hours on end in the library- we should not have to have our stress added upon due to printer malfunctioning.

Thank you for your email.  As far as I understand it, the system in the library is the same as it is elsewhere on campus.  I think that the situation may be more difficult in the Libraries, simply because we have many workstations and many students coming in at the same time.  Some printers seem to be getting line-ups while others are not used so much, because people do not know they are there.  Please take a look at this page on our website:  http://library.concordia.ca/services/computers/printing.php?guid=copierlocations .  It tells you where the printer/copiers are in the Libraries.  It also links to a listing of Dprint machines in other locations across campus. In the meantime, your comment will also be forwarded to the DPrint Team.

Chrome in Libraries’ classrooms

You wrote:

As per the announcement on November 5 here: http://library.concordia.ca/about/news/#i5_Nov_2012_17:09:18_EST

all library workstation are supposed to have Chrome installed on them. However, all the computers I’ve used (in the lab) do not have that available
after following the instructions in said announcement.  Please advise when
this will be corrected.

Yes, you are right.  For some reason, the library classroom computers did not have Chrome installed on them.  Thanks to your message, we have rectified the situation and Chrome is also available in LB 211.  Some workstations still do not have it installed as they seem to be disconnect from the network but they should be re-connected soon and they too will have Chrome installed.

Thank you for bringing this to our attention.

Adobe Connect

You wrote:

hi,

I am registered in [an] econcordia class….

The professor records a “live Adobe Connect” session to answer questions, and when I try to play it back the  library computers have a hard time because there
is a plug-in not installed in the computers.

Could the plug-in be installed by the network administrators …?

thanks!

Thank you for your suggestion.  I forwarded it to our Systems Department.  After doing some research into the possibility of installing Adobe Connect on the Library workstations, they have found that it is not possible at this time.  Adobe Connect installs to individual user profiles, not to the “Program Files” directory.  Therefore, it is not “enterprise ready” yet.

So, unfortunately, for the time being you will have to use your own personal computer to attend Adobe Connect sessions.

Computer labs in the Hall Building

You wrote:

Hello,
I often go the the Hall-building and want to use the desk-top computers in the labs. However, I notice that this semester they are often closed for a large
portion of the day. For example, there will be a note that says, “The lab will be closed today from 8:30am until 6:00pm.

To me, the above seems rather excessive. Why bother call these rooms
computer labs if they will be closed majority of the time. Would it be possible to
make these rooms more available?

Indeed, there are computer labs in the Hall Building downtown.  However, they are not administered by the Libraries, they are administered by IITS.  I would guess, though, that the rooms are booked for classes and that is why they are not available on a drop-in basis.  If you would like to communicate your concerns to IITS, please refer to this page for contact information.

Posting classrooms’ schedules online

You wrote:

Dear suggestion box editors,
I would like to know if it’s possible to upload online the schedules for the library workshop rooms (for Vanier and Webster)? It would be nice to know in advance when the rooms are available to  students.
Thank you!

Thank you for your suggestion.  I like it.    I can see that it may be difficult to do this now, as the classroom bookings are all done by hand and someone would have to manually go to this page to update the schedule.  With three classrooms in the system, it would be very labour-intensive.  However, in the future, it may be something that we can do.  I will forward your suggestion to our Web Services Librarian.  She will definitely know if this is do-able.

In the meantime, please feel free to call either Reference Desk to find out if the classrooms are being used.  Webster’s telephone number is 514.848.2424 ext. 7700 and Vanier’s telephone number is 514.848-2424 ext. 7766.

Software suggestions

You wrote:

could you also please install the followings?
- google drive
- MATHLAB
- linux (dual boot)
thanks

Thank you for your suggestions.  The Libraries’ Systems Office replied: 

We are currently not considering any of these changes, but here are some explanations and workarounds.

1. Google Drive: Google
Drive is an online service similar to Dropbox that allows users to store content
in the cloud and access it from anywhere. One of the features, like Dropbox, is
the ability to synchronize your “Drive” to your local computer for offline
access. Since our computers (aside from laptops) are always online, there is
little use to installing the software – users get almost all of the functionality using the web interface.

2. MATLAB: The Library does not currently have licensing for MATLAB. We suggest that you try Mathematica, which is installed on all of the Library’s workstations. The university has a site licence for Mathematica, and students can even download it for free from the MyConcordia portal under Personal Services > Mathematica. MATLAB is available in the ENCS labs for engineering and computer science students.

3. Linux dual boot: The Library currently only supports a Windows environment and there are no plans to implement a dual-boot solution, as the demand is incredibly small and the investment of resources into developing the necessary expertise is too high. Engineering and computer science students have access to a dual-boot environment in ENCS computer labs in the Hall and EV buildings. If you want to play around with Linux, there is a Live CD from ubuntu.com (and several other distributions) that does not require installation.   The Linux live CD, can only be used on your own machine, either a laptop or a desktop. It doesn’t require installation but it does require rebooting the machine into Linux, which we do not support.

Hope this helps!