Library has new high-tech way to reduce paper usage!

Higher Tech – Lower Impact

by Aaron Holly

Lacking a personal printer or scanner, I frequently find myself at the library computers printing off documents and watching my balance of free copies shrink down to zero. I try to not print whenever possible, but sometimes these things are unavoidable. So it came as an exciting piece of news to find out that the Addlestone Library now has a new, state of the art document scanner known as the Knowledge Imaging Center, or KIC (see picture below).

The KIC, located in the first floor copy room next to Java City, can scan all types of documents which can be saved to a USB drive or sent directly to your email. Scanned files can also be read on the KIC electronically, eliminating the need to print them out. The scanner is capable of scans up to 17 X 24 inches, or, should you ever need to scan anything really small, down to the size of a postage stamp. Scans can also be made in color or black & white. Documents can even be saved in audio format, which can be played back on any digital audio device; now if that’s not cool I’m not sure what is.

By storing your documents digitally, you can have a lower impact by reducing the amount of paper you use. Just think, if every one of the 10,558 students attending the College used their 300 sheets of printing, we use 3,167,400 sheets of paper PER SEMESTER (which=6,335 reams=633 boxes)! And that’s just students. Imagine how the faculty and staff would add to that. So next time you find yourself in the Library, think before you print, and take advantage of the KIC and all that it can do.

More info about the KIC here!