The printers at LBCC are often totally out of order or only able to accept cash. One printer in the library at LAC has been cash only since at least August due to poor connection from the card reader.
Things like printers are vital for students’ success. There are some classes that require print outs for every class meeting, such as labs.
“From my understanding, the card readers have issues with the service in the library,” library systems technician at LAC, Ruben Amador said, “this specific location of the printer has bad reception.”
Amador explained one way this issue could be fixed would be by installing a permanent port to the printer so they didn’t have to rely on wireless service. In order to do this, the school would need assistance from the third party vendor the printers come from.
“There have been talks to install a permanent port with the company we deal with but there has been no end of conversation yet,” Amador said.
The library has two printers side by side on the first floor, but only one can accept both cards and cash.
“I started working here in August and when I started, both printers down here (on the first floor) were cash only, “ Janette Rodriguez, employee at the LAC library said.
“They fixed the color one around September but the other has been broken for awhile,” Rodriguez said.
There are other places to print, like the math success center at LAC, but those printers are also oftentimes cash only.
The only saving grace is the computer room on the second floor of the library that accepts cards for its printers.
“When students need to print, we send them upstairs,” Rodriguez said.
There are some students who do not even know there are printers upstairs for them to access. There are no signs that the printers have to say that the printers work upstairs.
“I had no idea the upstairs existed until I went to class and told my professor I couldn’t print and she told me to go back and go upstairs,” Julie Sanchez, LBCC student said.
At PCC, the situation can sometimes be worse since there is only one place on campus to print, not multiple like LAC.
PCC often has the same problem. There is a room for computers in the library, but there have been times that the room has been closed entirely or unable to accept cards as well.
“I spent ten minutes at PCC trying to print and the worker in the library kept having me try my card and I even tried cash, but my coins kept falling right out the bottom dispenser,” Sanchez said. “She even unplugged it twice because the girl in front of me was able to print.”
The printers remain unable to accept cards at the end of the Fall semester.