Checking out technology at Cooper Library is getting a little quicker and easier thanks to a policy change with the Technology Lending Program. Advance reservations for checking out equipment will no longer be required. Equipment will now be available on a first-come first-served basis only starting Friday, May 13.
The change will save time for both patrons and staff. For example, more than 800 reservations were made this semester through the technology lending program. Each reservation takes approximately five minutes of staff time to process, meaning that nearly 67 hours was spent processing those forms this semester, said Nick Baldwin, who oversees the Technology Lending Program. More than 80 percent of reservations were made two days in advance or less. The change will also save patrons the time of filling out the form ahead of time.
In order to check out technology items, patrons will simply need to ask for the items they need at the service desk in Cooper Library. In the future, reservations may become available for certain specialized equipment, and further changes may be implemented as staff assess the effectiveness of the new model. Clemson Libraries is increasing the inventory of its technology collection over the summer, which will help make more items available for check out.
More than 400 items are available for checkout through the Technology Lending Program, from podcast recording equipment to projectors to video cameras and DSLR cameras and accessories, as well as a variety of cables and charging cords for all kinds of devices. For more information, visit the technology lending website.