Survey Analysis: Laptop Printing in the Library
prepared by
Community Needs Assessment Committee, November 2007
Executive Summary
- of respondents who own a laptop, 87% of the respondents used their laptops in the Library
- 82% of respondents who use their laptop in the Library do not use wireless printing
- both Web(online) and PrintWhere driver are used for printing.
- 41.5% rated the service as great, 37.5% as okay, and 21% as poor
- the most common reasons given for not using wireless printing were
• did not know how to set it up – 39
• didn’t know about laptop printing – 30
• I have access to printer elsewhere – 27
Other reasons given included problems with connectivity, problems with downloading/installing PrintWhere driver, poor instruction pages/help, frustration with reliability of wireless connections or the ability to connect to the proper printer. And there were appeals for consideration of laptop printing for Mac users.
Background
Questions posed at the Information Desks by Library users who were experiencing difficulties with using the laptop printing service raised concerns that perhaps the laptop printing service was not meeting the needs for which it was intended. A review of the public printing logs also indicated that laptop printing in the libraries was not being used to extent that had been previously envisioned. To help determine why the service was not being used as expected it was decided to conduct a survey.
Methodology
Comment cards [see Appendix A: Comment Card] were distributed to various study areas in the Porter and Davis libraries over a five day period from Thursday, November 8 to Monday, November 12, 2007. Survey participants were directed to place the completed cards in a drop-box provided. The data was collected and entered into an Excel spreadsheet [see Appendix B: Data Collected]for analysis.
Analysis
There were a total of 116 respondents (39 submitted at the Davis Library and 55 submitted at the Porter Library).
Excluding those who indicated they did not own a laptop (8 people), 94 (87%) stated that they used their laptops in the library and 14 (13%) stated they did not.
In response to the question “What printing option do you use?” 25 people replied they used Web(online), 12 people used PrintWhere driver, and 77 people indicated that they don’t print in the Library from their laptops. [Note that some respondents used both options for printing]. This shows that for whatever reasons, 82% of people who use their laptops in the Library do not make use of the laptop printing facilities that are available.
There were 24 responses to question 3, “If you do use laptop printing, please rate the service (check one)”. 10 (41.5%) rated it as great, 9 (37.5%) as okay, and 5 (21%) as poor.
When questioned as to why laptop owners did not use laptop printing in the Library, the most common reasons given were:
- did not know how to set it up – 39
- didn’t know about laptop printing – 30
- I have access to printer elsewhere – 27
Some users expressed issues with connectivity to the wireless system, problems with downloading/installing PrintWhere driver, or poor instruction pages/help. These issues were strongly supported by the comments that respondents made in the survey [see Appendix B]. For those who were able to successfully download and implement the printer, there were frustrations with reliability of wireless connections or the ability to connect to the proper printer. Others indicated the need for clear and precise instructions on how to make use of laptop printing. And there were appeals for consideration of laptop printing for Mac users.
Recommendations
Based on the analysis of the data, including a careful review of the comments, the following recommendations are proposed:
- more widespread promotion of the laptop printing service
- on-going hands-on workshops on laptop printing
- one-on-one training opportunities on laptop printing
- resolve wireless connectivity issues
Conclusion
In conclusion the majority of Library users who use laptops in the Library and who participated in the survey do not make use of the laptop printing service. Although some users chose to print elsewhere, there were quite a number who indicated that they either were unaware of the laptop printing service or did not know how to set it up.
Appendix A: Comment Card
Let us know what you think about laptop printing in the Library. Answer the questions below and drop your card off in the boxes located near the printers.- Do you use your laptop in the Library?
□ I don’t own a laptop [Still hand in this card please.]
- What printing option do you use?
□ I don’t print in the Library from my laptop
- If you do use laptop printing, please rate the service (check one):
- If you don’t use laptop printing, why not?(check all that apply)
□ Didn’t know about laptop printing
□ Didn’t know how to set it up
□ I tried and gave up
□ I couldn’t connect to wireless
□ Instruction pages/Help poor
□ Problems downloading/installing the PrintWhere driver
□ I have access to a printer elsewhere
Other (specify)______
Is there anything else you would like to tell us about laptop printing?
Appendix B: Data Collected
Survey: Laptop Printing in the LibraryNovember 8-12, 2007
# of Davis responses: / 47
# of Porter responses: / 69
1. Do you use your laptop in the Library? / DAVIS / PORTER / Total
yes / 39 / 55 / 94
no / 5 / 9 / 14
I don't own a laptop / 3 / 5 / 8
2. What printing option do you use?
Web (online) / 13 / 12 / 25
PrintWhere driver / 7 / 5 / 12
I don't print in the Library from my laptop / 25 / 52 / 77
3. If you do use laptop printing, please rate the service (check one):
Great / 4 / 6 / 10
OK / 6 / 3 / 9
Poor / 4 / 1 / 5
4. If you don't use laptop printing, why not? (check all that apply)
Incompatible operating system / 3 / 2 / 5
Didn't know about laptop printing / 6 / 24 / 30
Didn't know how to set it up / 10 / 29 / 39
I tried and gave up / 8 / 7 / 15
I couldn't connect to the wireless / 4 / 6 / 10
Instruction pages/Help poor / 4 / 2 / 6
Problems downloading/installing the PrintWhere driver / 7 / 0 / 7
I have access to a printer elsewhere / 8 / 19 / 27
Other (please specify)
Comments from Davis:
1 / The damn server was down every time I tried to use PrintWhere!
2 / I don't carry my laptop around as a normal practice.
3 / It didn't work.
4 / It kept giving me the red light, saying could not connect. I tried several
times. No one at the front desk could help me.
5 / The PrintWhere finds the appropriate server but I always get no response
back from the printer server.
6 / Too complicated than print from PC.
7 / Useless printing.
8 / I don't own a laptop.
Comments from Porter:
1 / Don't own a laptop.
2 / Also don't bring my laptop to the library.
3 / Rarely print. Print @ Kingkos when I have to.
4 / Home.
5 / Engineering lab.
6 / Avoid trouble by using the computers at the library.
7 / I do not have an antispyware program installed so I can't connect to the
library printers. Also I have a printer at home, or print off of library computers.
8 / I don't own a laptop.
9 / I don't need to.
10 / I print from library computers - works great!
11 / Don't have a laptop.
12 / [Didn't know how to set it up] (at first).
13 / [Instruction pages/Help poor] Not visible on lib. website.
14 / Just use the computers in the library.
Is there anything else you would like to tell us about laptop printing?
Comments from Davis:
1 / Fix the f***ing print server so it works when I try to use the damn thing!
2 / Are there any explanations on how to use laptop printing?
3 / There are much too many steps to print from the Web. A native
MACOSX solution would mean I would use this more often.
4 / I've heard laptop printing is complicated so, also having a Mac, which is
usually 2nd in line (after PCs) when it comes to software compatability, I
never bothered to try the service; I just print from the library computers.
5 / I bring my laptop to library, but I need to go to library's computer for printing
[?] because I can't know how to print [?] from my laptop, and I want to
know how to set it up.
6 / Sound like a good resource for ppl who don't have a printer & it's nice to
know I can access a printer here if mine breaks.
7 / Very convenient if it works.
8 / Yeah nobody in the entire library staff knows how to fix the server problem
519-497-2414 [?].
9 / Could you make a software for laptop printing.
10 / When I tried it, it wouldn't allow me to install driver. Also wireless
connection keeps cutting in and out.
11 / Sometimes I can't connect to the printer.
12 / Works great. No problems.
13 / Can't find proper printer. In fact, can't connect to the one in library.
14 / Yay for laptop printing!
15 / No multiple page ranges in web version.
16 / Print out some instruction brochures, put them in front of the library or beside
the printers.
17 / Make it Mac compatible!
18 / You rule.
19 / Clear instructions on how to set it up would be helpful.
20 / Once had trouble printing a pg from a pdf doc. Tried several times still
didn't work. It was an SSHRC application.
21 / Need multiple pages per sheet and rotating between landscape and portrait.
22 / The service SUCKS "sorry".
23 / I managed to get the PrintWhere software downloaded & installed but I
couldn't connect to the printer.
24 / Lib printing sucks. It always screws up.
Comments from Porter:
1 / Very good idea, reduce the time of waiting available public desktop
computer.
2 / I think it's a great idea; I hope to learn how to use it.
3 / Printing from a Mac is harder than a PC.
4 / Please install electrical outlet for laptops on main floor.
5 / Printing is generally very good!
6 / I had two antivirus programs running, however MinUwet could only detect
the one that is out of date but not the other one, so the printing experience
was not that smooth.
7 / Make it more known to students.
8 / Make it free?
9 / Sounds like a great idea.
10 / The laptop printing has limited document formats, which I find problematic.
It won't let me print .odt.
11 / Wireless connection is very poor above 8th floor.
12 / As little as I print here it's not worth my time to figure it out.
13 / No.
14 / No.
15 / Please make it color printing.
16 / It sometimes doesn't recognise the printers, this is especially
common at DC.
17 / Let the UW students know it exists. I had no idea.
18 / UW wireless in DP is POOR!
19 / Can [hanhelds] also print stuff?
20 / I enjoy it very much!
21 / What is laptop printing?
22 / Printing is great, but DP internet is very unstable.
23 / Difficult to connect to wireless at DC!!
24 / Would rather faster computers available in Library.
25 / What a swell idea!
26 / I have a laptop that runs Ubuntu, it's broken now but I would love printing!
27 / I don't use it because it seems difficult - I have heard there are issues.
28 / Can there be instructions on how to print via laptop on the UW wireless
website. Instructions for laptop printing not easily accessible on lib website.
The "network printing" has no instructions.
29 / Slow, no multiple page ranges.
30 / Nope.
31 / Shorten the process of laptop printing. (Two many steps, and once I forgot
to finally submit, it didn't print.)