But come to find out, even though most library materials are digital, students now have something called a print quota. Just use the computer to find the articles you want then press print. I used to have to pay $0.10 per sheet! I used to skip copying the references and sometimes everything but the conclusions. Unfortunately, since I was not a current student I did not have a print quota, so I had to email myself the 16 papers (and printed them at the office).
It seems to me that there is more printing going on than 10 years ago, or at best it has not decreased. This trend I simply can not comprehend. Somebody explain it to me. Some people I work with print everything, including emails, to read them. I try to get them to explain to me the sense; some say they feel the need to keep a physical file, some say it's easier on their eyes. I still don't get it. The paper industry notoriously has a high environmental impact, paper is heavy and expensive to ship, and most pages that people print I bet are only looked at once, ever.
However, what prompted me to write this post is that we ran out of printer paper at home. Not popular, as we need that paper for knitting directions. So, my bright idea is to try and bring home all the single-sided print-outs that have been recycled, and use that. And then burn it ;)
Also, we have used catalogchoice to reduce the number of catalogs we get. We try and use paperless billing whenever we can. We keep the number of publications we subscribe to low. Still we end up with too much paper to burn and it ends up getting recycled.
I strongly believe that if one has to print, that the automatic setting is double sided and that one has to manually make the printer print one sided. I struggle in school when a professor requests to have single sided papers. I have gone so far as handing in "homework" on scrap paper (and my prof loved it!)I also don't understand why my thesis has to be single sided pages?! It would be great if we could hand them in electronically for the library's storage...hmmm, maybe I should suggest that...
ReplyDeleteWhile we have paper recycling in our office (which is unusual in Indiana) I to save single-sided print outs and reprint on the back. I have quiet a few knitting directions on the back of work paper. I think you'll find this an easy habit to get into.
ReplyDeleteWe also used to make scrap paper pads out of one-sided print outs in a previous office by cutting the unused printed materials into quarters and stapling in one corner.
Crazy that students get free printing now, considering NYs budget issues. I would also assume that personal computers and printers are more widespread among students now than 10 years ago.
Do they pay if they go over their quota? Or are they not allowed to print at all?
Gah - I, too, save single-sided print outs... And, I have quite a few knitting directions...
ReplyDeleteWhere is the edit button?
It is very interesting how different places use printing differently. At Plug Power (Albany) there was a strong push to prevent as much printing as possible. Some people understood this and others did not. I believe that there was less printing there than other places. Now at Nazareth College, everything is printed. And I mean everything. This may not be true of the entire college but it is true of my department. I am trying to convince them of the simple fact that memos don't need to be printed for each individual. An email memo would work just fine. As for reports in the department, there are probably 200 pages of them distributed to 4-5 people every day. For some reason they do not think that email is protected enough to pass along private information. It is amazing frustrating and something I see will not be changed as long as the current personnel is in place. It is amazing to me that in 2009, entire departments are taboo on using email.
ReplyDelete