The Weinberg Memorial Library continues to offer an academic research environment while adhering to the COVID-19 protocols. The library identified the printing areas as high traffic with the users congregating while waiting to release their print jobs and retrieve their printouts. Another reason the library needed to upgrade the printing process was to improve the printing process for users. There were intermittent issues happening more frequently that needed to have a permanent fix. The library researched software on the market and found our current pay-per-print software had an upgrade that provided the best solution. UniPrint is one of the many products by Pharos Systems and the version of software eliminates the need for a release or pay station and offers a new component for “touchless printing.”

The new version of UniPrint offers users the ability to access the Print Center from any PC, iMac, tablet, or mobile device if they are using the campus network. Mobile devices require use of an app obtained from the App Store or Google Play, while other devices connect directly using a browser. Users benefits from this upgrade include.

▪ Uploading their files directly to the print queue.
▪ Previewing files before printing.
▪ Viewing Royal Card funds in the Print Center.
▪ Sending the file to print without use of the release/pay station.
▪ A “touchless” option that uses a QR Code at the printer of choice to initiate printing.

The “touchless” option allows users to change printers on the fly if they approach the selected printer to find an issue or a bottleneck. In the current systems users had to resend their job to another printer. Users printing a document containing personal information can upload the file to the print center, then print out the document while being at the printer to retrieve their document.

At present, the library is conducting a pilot program where work study students are putting the new process and documentation to the test. The results have prompted a few changes to the documentation and found small glitches that have since been addressed. The feedback has been positive with comments showing excitement for new process to be rolled out. With a successful pilot, the library has targeted the Fall Semester to go live with the process.