Learning Commons

Hours Staffed  
The Learning Commons is available for use all hours the library is open. An Information Desk is located in the Learning Commons area and is staffed to assist you while working in the Learning Commons area and also to help in your library research needs.  It is generally staffed during the hours below.  

Outside of the following hours and when the library is open, limited Learning Commons assistance is available at the Circulation Desk.  

Location
The Learning Commons is located on the first floor of Collins Memorial Library, situated between the Reference Book area and the Library Instruction Room (Room 118).

Contact
Jada Pelger
Learning Commons Supervisor
253.879.3287
E-mail

Staff

Students
Numerous workstudy students staff the Information Desk.  They provide general library assistance, basic computer/printer assistance and will refer many questions to the appropriate person or department.

Librarians
A librarian is on call during the Reference Hours listed on the library hours page, usually 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. Monday and Thursday; 10 a.m. - 6 p.m. Tuesday and Wednesday; and 10 a.m. - 3 p.m. Friday. 

The name of the on-call librarian is posted at the Learning Commons desk, and outside of the librarian's office. You may also arrange an appointment or ask a question of the liaison librarian for any department via email, by telephone, or by stopping by their office.  Further liaison librarian contact information is available at the bottom of the Research Gateway page for each department.

Workstudy Positions
If you are interested in becoming a Learning Commons Assistant, or if would like more information please contact Jada Pelger.

Printing
Printing in the Learning Commons runs through the LPT:One print release system. Those sending a job must type in one or more characters so that they may identify the print job at the LPT:One release station. The jobs remain in the release station list until released to the printer or until an hour has passed. Print release systems like LPT:One are meant to reduce the amount of printing that is sent and forgotten, wasting paper and toner.

Printing has been steadily on the rise in the library with more electronic documents, electronic interlibrary loan retrieval, and the use of Blackboard. It has become increasingly important to efficiently use paper and toner. Toner alone is quite expensive and during the regular school year at our current level of printing the toner cartridge typically needs to be replaced about every week.

Printing double-sided is a huge help in reducing excess paper use, and this feature is available in the Information Commons. Some students even print two pages per side of paper!

Laptops
Printing from laptops is now available on a dedicated printer in the library building. The OIS Tech Center has instructions for setting up laptop printing, and the dedicated printer is in room 034, which is an OIS computer room. You may elect to connect to the network anywhere in the library, and 034 will be open to pick up your printouts at all hours the library is open.

Use Policies
The Learning Commons is designed to facilitate research and instruction. In addition to databases and web searching, the Learning Commons also offers the convenience of productivity software and access to e-mail.

All University of Puget Sound students, faculty, and staff, UPS alumni with ID, and users who have valid ID from institutions belonging to the Napcu, Orbis-Cascade & PSAIL library consortia, and community members with a valid UPS library card have access to the workstations in this area.

Priorities

1. UPS Users have priority over all other users.
2. UPS users who are engaged in research have priority over those who are using e-mail or productivity software such as Word, Excel, and Powerpoint.
3. When patrons are waiting for computers to use for research, those using e-mail or office tools may be asked to logout to free workstations for those who are waiting.
4. Librarians may reserve workstations for instructional purposes, and will post signs at reserved computers to alert users of scheduled dates & times. Users who are working at reserved computers will be asked to logout at the scheduled time.

To ensure that all users get a chance to use the workstations for necessary activities, such as research and writing assignments, please

• Limit non-study related activities (web browsing, email, personal projects) to as short a time period as possible during times when the Learning Commons is busy.
• Avoid sitting at the workstations when not actively using them. There are personal and group study locations available in several locations around the library for this purpose.

To help make the Learning Commons a more pleasant place for all users, the following guidelines of the OIS Acceptable Use Policy are in place. Failure to follow them may result in the suspension or removal of your ResNet account and the ability to use the campus computer and Internet resources. Thank you for your cooperation in making the Information Commons a better place for all users.

Activities prohibited in the Learning Commons:

• Printing multiple copies of documents on the network printer. Photocopiers are available in multiple locations in the Library for this purpose.

• Printing Non-University related materials on the network printer. The University print shop is available for this purpose.

• Playing games on the workstations.

• Installation or use of any software not pre-loaded by staff onto the workstations.

• "Camping" at the workstations. Any workstation left unattended for a substantial period will be logged out by the staff for another patron's use. We will not be held accountable for data loss in these instances.

• Using electronic chat or messaging of any sort.

• "Farming" or "Spamming" the Learning Commons. This includes leaving or posting flyers, posters, business cards or other forms of advertisement in the area that are not approved by the University. If you are caught doing this, your account WILL be locked out of the workstations and you will be forced to use another lab on campus.