Creating and Supporting a Borrowable Collection of Portable Digital Technology

Abstract

One University offers a collection of digital equipment, including iPads, laptops, digital cameras, digital audio recorders, microphones, networking cables, projectors and financial/graphing calculators. These items were acquired through a Student Technology Fee process overseen by the University’s IT Services. This application based process provides one-time money for technology resources, particularly those which have the greatest impact to on students. Items which the Libraries have acquired through this fund are available at three of the four main campus libraries for loan periods of between three hours and one day. This session will discuss the scope of the collection, usage patterns, technical support needed to maintain the collection, and proposed changes to the size of the collection and the rules governing its use. Participants in this discussion should gain a sense of the budgetary and human resources needed to maintain a working collection of digital items for loan, challenges to maintaining and growing the collection, and ideas for developing a collection that meets the needs of their primary users.