All computers in the Bender Library and the Anderson Computing Complex now default to double-sided printing at a reduced price as part of the university’s “The American Dream is Green” initiative, according to a library official.
It costs 10 cents to print one double-sided sheet, said Evgeny Bisk, the director of Discovery Systems and Computing Services. One single-sided sheet also costs 10 cents, but students must manually change the settings.
This is a price decrease from last semester, as each side of a double-sided page now costs 5 cents, down from 10 cents for just one side.
However, print jobs sent to the basement’s Copy Center will still be automatically printed single-sided, according to Gwendolyn Reece, the library’s director of research, teaching and learning.
Trials were done in the Computing Complex and 15 library computers during the month of January, according to Diana Vogelsong, associate university librarian and director of University Relations for the library.
“We had seen absolutely no problems there,” Bisk said. The change took effect Jan. 29 for all university computers where students must swipe their AU ID cards to pay for printing.
Computer labs that do not require a swipe, including the School of Communication’s Friedheim Journalism Center, do not print double-sided automatically.
“We don’t manage those labs,” Bisk said. “This is something that might change if there’s demand.”
Vogelsong said students were interested in preserving paper.
“So far I haven’t heard of any complaints,” she said.
Otis Pflantzbaum, a senior in the School of Public Affairs, has always printed double-sided, even before it was cheaper to do so, preferring to save paper.
“I would do it anyway, even before it was default,” he said.
Kayden Horwitz, a freshman in the Kogod School of Business, said he would have printed double-sided before the change, but without visual reminders right near the computers, he never remembered.
“I don’t think I would think of it, frankly,” he said.
Library officials were worried about professors' reactions, but Reece said there haven’t been any major concerns reported yet.
You can reach this staff writer at sdazio@theeagleonline.com.
