Library laptop lending program

Laptops are checked out at the Circulation Counter of the Library (2nd floor), in person, on a first-come, first-served basis.  They are not available on a reservation basis. Borrowing a WLAC Library Laptop:

What you Need

(You cannot check out a laptop without all of the following):

• Current WLAC ID Card
• Valid California Driver’s License or ID card
• Active Student Status in the LACCD Database

General Procedure

1. Provide your current WLAC ID Card and valid CDL/ID to Library Technician @ the Circulation Counter
2. The Technician will validate your status
3. After validating status, the Technician will provide you with a laptop and a laptop receipt to sign.  This receipt indicates the time that you must notify the Technician that your laptop is to be returned, defines borrowing conditions, and provides notification of late return fee schedule.
4. Your WLAC ID Card and valid CDL/ID remains at the Circulation Counter with the original copy of the receipt until the laptop is returned.
5. A Technician will then accompany you to a designated area for laptop use.
6. The Technician will lock down the laptop to an item of furniture.
7. When you are ready to return or renew the laptop, please notify the Technician @ the Circulation Counter.  Be sure to notify him/her before the return time indicated on the receipt or you will be assessed a late fee.

Checking Out

When you check out a laptop, there may be a short equipment check procedure to make sure everything is in good working order and to show you how it all works. You sign it out and leave your WLAC ID and CDL/ID cards with us while you have the laptop.

Checking In

When you bring the laptop back, we check the laptop to ensure everything is in good working order, then we sign it back in, and give you your WLAC ID and CDL/ID cards back.  Note: The hard drive is reformatted regularly.  Be sure to save your work via e-mail attachment or USB memory device before checking the laptop back in.

If a laptop has been damaged from dropping, spillage, or other careless handling, you are responsible for its repair.  The laptop will be sent out for repairs at the repair center of the college’s choice and the cost of repairs billed to you.

Renewals

You may renew the use of a laptop for a single additional 4-hour period during each day as often as Library operational hours permit.  In other words, in a 12-hour operational day, a laptop may be checked out and renewed for a total of 3 consecutive times.  But see Note under Time Limit, infra.

• You cannot renew if there is a waiting list.
• You cannot renew if the laptop is late - you must bring it back to the lending desk.

Late Return Fees

Laptops are treated like other Reserve Materials.  The late fee for returning a laptop past its due time is $25 per hour or portion thereof.  The fee must be paid in cash.  Unpaid fees result in a loss of Library privileges and a hold on official transcripts and, if ignored, may lead to legal action.

Why Fines?
Consider that WLAC has a student population of more than 6,000. There are only 17 laptops available to check out. Especially during midterms and finals weeks, the laptops are in high demand and we owe it to all students to get a fair chance to use a laptop.

Time Limit

A laptop can be checked out for Library use only for a period of four (4) hours for each checkout period, unless it occurs within four hours of the Library’s closing.
The Library is defined as the interior space of the 2nd and 3rd floors of the Heldman Learning Resource building, excluding lobby areas.  
Laptop use can be renewed for an additional 4-hour period, as long as no one else is waiting to use it.

NOTE: All laptops must be returned 30 minutes before closing time regardless of the time the laptop was checked out.

Common Complaint: "I didn't know" or "No one told me."

If you are late, there are no excuses. The rules are plainly articulated and available.

No Late Reminder

The Library is not obligated to remind you when the laptop is due.  That is your responsibility.  If you feel you are unable to remember when it is time to turn in your laptop or feel that you are unable to pay a fine resulting from late check-in, do not risk a late fee by checking out a laptop.  Instead, use one of the computers in LIRL.

Signed Recept

The time to return a laptop is in bold at the top of the receipt preceded by the words: "Notify Technician of Laptop Return By..." Following this line is a note (also in bold) indicating that there will be fine if notification of laptop return is late. Each student checking out a laptop signs this receipt.

Basic rules are:

• Laptops may be checked out for 4 hours and renewed for another four hours if no one is waiting.
• If you return a laptop late, you will fined $25 for each hour or portion thereof.
• There is a 10-minute grace period for late notifications *except* at closing time. There is no grace period for laptops returned after the 30-minute mark before closing time. (We need all the laptops back on time so that we can close up for the night.)

Location Limit

Laptops can be used only in specially designated areas in the Library in order to ensure optimal wireless connectivity and security.  They will be secured by security cable to furniture; thus, mobility is limited.

You may ask, rightly, “What is the point of having a laptop?” Good question. LLLP allows:

• Uninterrupted work away from LIRL (Library Instructional ResearchLab) which can get noisy at times
• Small group work in study rooms
• Students with no laptop experience to gain such experience
• WLAC Library bragging rights as the only Library in the District to offer such a service to its students

Wireless Perimeter

Wi-fi access points are sited strategically within the Library building to allow Internet access anywhere within the building.  If your laptop is not accessing the Internet, please report it to the Technician @ LIRL.  Inaccessibility may be due either to laptop error or to a “dead” spot.

Modem vs Ethernet vs Wireless

A modem card will not work in the Library. A modem is used to connect to a computer (or a network) over an analog telephone line. An ethernet connection, 100 times faster than a 28.8K modem, also will not work.  The Library’s laptops have built-in wireless cards and are automatically connected to a network if you are within the effective perimeter of strategically placed wi-fi access points.

Laptop Hardware

Dell Latitude D610, Pentium M 730 processor (1.6GHz), 40GB HD, 512MB RAM, DVD drive, integrated wireless, 14.1" XGA display. No internal floppy drive; this must be checked out separately.

What's Included

• Laptop
• Power Cable (2 parts)
• Built-in wireless, cd-rom drive

NOTE: there is no internal floppy drive.  If you need to use a diskette, ask a Library technician at the Circulation Counter to check out an external floppy drive to you.

How to Log on to Your Laptop

logon: student

password: library

To access Library databases: same procedure as in LIRL

If you are having trouble logging on, please see the LIRL Technician or Tutor.

What You Can Do

LLLP laptops are equipped with the same applications available at the Library Instructional Research Lab (LIRL), namely, database shortcuts, Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, Powerpoint, Access), and Adobe Acrobat.  A select number of LLLP laptops have additional software.

Printing

At this time, printing is not available from your laptops to LIRL printers. If you would like to print, take your laptop to the technician at LIRL and s/he will help you extract your data to a LIRL computer in order to print.

Troubleshooting

If you are having problems connecting, take your laptop to the Circulation Counter where it will be examined and/or another laptop will be loaned out to you.

Using Your Own Laptop

Of course, personal laptop use is permitted, but be aware that the College is not liable for anything that happens with your laptop, including (but not exclusive of) viruses that infiltrate your hard drive while your laptop is in use in the Library.