Washington College has moved to printing solutions provider, ink, from previous provider Pharos. Ink leverages touchscreen kiosks, called SmartStations, to support print, copy and scanning.

As reported by Washington Colleges student publication, The Elm, the move to ink means students no longer have to login to library computers to initiate a print job, but instead visit one of the ink SmartStations. From a SmartStation students can print using a USB drive, by emailing their documents to [email protected], or using the cloud system accessed through Washington College's ink.me web portal.

At least one of the SmartStations will be open 24/7, and will also photo printing. "This particular SmartStation allows students to crop and add filters to their photos, which print out as the standard 6 x 4 inches," said Amanda Darby, director of Public Services for Washington College's Library Academic Technology.

“You can send your documents to the printer from any internet connected device,” added Darby. “Folks can print from their dorm and then pick it up the next morning.”

All documents that students send to the cloud will be removed from the system’s queue after 72 hours. The SmartStations can also scan, copy, and fax, but students must set up an account at the SmartStation to login with their student ID.

The search for a new print and copy solution at Washington College began last fall, with the first of the ink SmartStations installed over this past winter break. Library Academic Technology personnel used the week before students returned from break to learn how to use the new printers and kiosks, as well as to train staff.

“We just want students to come into the library, get their work done, and not have to worry about leaving the building to do something," said Sharon Sledge, chief academic technology officer at Washington College, in a statement to The Elm. "You can do it all here."

All students will have $10 in printing credit for this semester. The amount of printing credit for next academic year is yet to be determined, but to help spread the word about the new system students can receive an extra dollar of printing credit by using a promo code at the kiosk.

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