The Journal

Issue date: 11/1/07 Section: News

Copy cards such as this one will be issued to each student next semester.

Students will no longer have to e-mail copies of papers or other documents to themselves to print in computer labs in the Emerson Library. In January, each student will be issued a copy card that will have $12.50 on it, enabling students to print 125 pages in the library during the spring semester. These cards will be similar to the copy cards that students currently load and use to print in the library.

Webster University has contracts with Xerox and Copying Concepts, a St. Louis copying company based in the south St. Louis neighborhood, Dogtown.

Copying Concepts' contract with WU places copiers in the library. Copying Concepts is responsible for the maintenance of these machines, said Tony Ryndak, division manager.

"We will work to build (student library printing) into the library's operational budget in subsequent fiscal years," said Jim Staley, associate vice president of Academic Affairs.

Academic Affairs will initially subsidize library printing in response to a library satisfaction survey given last year to library patrons.

Subsidizing student printing is an involved process, because the library is also open to the public, said Laura Rein, dean of the Emerson library.

The library had already planned to address library printing costs in 2009 when the contract with Copying Concepts expires, but chose to address it because of the response.

"Students had options, but were vocal about their dislike for paying (for printing)," Rein said.

Of the 946 responses to the library satisfaction survey conducted last spring, 413 provided open-ended comments. Ten percent gave feedback on the library printing system. All but a few of the responses were negative. Responses to the survey came from students, faculty and staff from the main and extended campuses, as well as online courses.

"We're trying to address all of (the responses to the survey), and in some fashion we have," Rein said.

The library satisfaction survey was the first survey conducted regarding the Emerson Library since its opening in June 2003. The survey was designed to determine where the library needed to improve and how to better serve students.

The survey was part of an overall assessment. The library compared collection holdings to universities of similar size and discussed with faculty if library instruction is working for students. In the long term, the library plans to address more specific concerns such as beginning to carry certain periodicals and books.

Students will be able to see the complete results of the library satisfaction survey at http://library.webster.edu/index.html Nov. 1.

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