Technology

Information Commons Wireless Laptops

Laptops may be borrowed from the Information Commons Technology Desk in the Beatley Library. Laptops are for in-library use only and may not leave Beatley Library.

Eligible Borrowers
Only students, faculty or staff with a valid Simmons College ID may borrow laptops. Laptop borrowers are bound by the Simmons Acceptable Use Policy.

Loan Periods and Hours of Lending
Laptops and accessories circulate for three hours and are available on a first-come, first served basis. One three-hour renewal of the loan is available upon request, if other users are not waiting for a laptop. Laptops may not be "reserved" or "held" for any user. All laptops are due back one hour before the library closes (Library hours)

Each laptop kit includes an information sheet with loan policies, basic operational tips and where to address other questions or get help.

If You Return a Laptop Late, or Lose or Damage it
Late fees for overdue laptops accrue at the rate of $20 per hour or portion thereof. The maximum loan period is three hours. Once a laptop is 21 hours overdue, the borrower will be billed a replacement cost of $3000. If you are billed for a laptop and return it, you are still responsible for late charges. Laptops will be inspected for damage upon return. The borrower is responsible for damages up to the replacement cost of the laptop.

Hardware
Dell Latitude D600
512MB RAM
60GB hard drive
CD-RW drive
14”display

Apple iBook G4
512MB RAM
40GB hard drive
CD-RW drive
12”display

Software
Laptops are loaded with the standard software for general access computing.

Accessories
If you need a floppy disk drive, you may borrow one from the Technology Desk.  If you find the trackpad difficult to use, you may borrow a mouse from the Technology Desk.  Simply connect the floppy drive or mouse into either USB port on the back of the laptop next to the power jack. You do not need to shut the laptop off before installing USB devices.

Sound and Volume
These laptops are fully equipped with a sound card and built-in speakers. However, if you intend to use applications that use sound, please mute the speakers with the volume controls located in the control panels.  Sets of headphones may be borrowed from the Technology Desk.

Standby Mode
If you leave the computer inactive for a while, the screen will shut off and the computer will enter standby mode to save power. To return from standby mode, press the power button for three seconds. Also, if you shut the lid while the computer is on, it enters standby mode at once. However, simply opening the lid again will cause the computer to resume its normal operating state.  If the computer requests that you log back in, please bring it back to the Technology Desk and someone will log in for you.

Often, when resuming from standby mode, Windows XP will display a message that the wireless network is no longer available. Simply wait a minute and the connection should be re-established, whether the system tray icon reflects this or not. If you experience lasting problems with network connectivity, please inform the Technology  desk staff.

Saving Your Work
To ensure the safety and privacy of all users, the laptop is configured to delete all files you save to the hard drive on shutdown. Therefore, please save any work to a USB flash storage device or email it to yourself via Simmons Webmail before turning off the computer. Also, any changes made to the appearance of the desktop will be erased upon shutdown.  Unlike the computers in the Information Commons, Technology Labs, and Residence Campus Labs, the "My Documents" folder does not connect to your file server folder; you may not save files directly to the file server from this laptop. You may, however use remote.simmons.edu to transfer files to the file server when you are finished.

Help
Please visit the staff at the Information Commons Technology Desk on the 1st floor of the library if you have any questions or need assistance.