A new laptop loans service has been launched in the Berkeley library. From today, laptops will be available to staff and students to borrow for up to three hours at a time, free of charge.
The 24 available laptops can be collected from the lower ground floor of the Berkeley Library and can be used anywhere in the Berkeley, Lecky, and Ussher library complex. All of the laptops come equipped with an extensive suite of Microsoft Office applications.
The borrowing scheme is self-service and involves the use of the same touchscreen panels that facilitate printing. Selecting on the homescreen of the panel, scanning your Trinity ID card and following the onscreen instructions gives students access to the laptops.
The touchscreen unit has an Irish language option and there is an accessibility feature for users with mobility issues to allow for laptops to be selected from lockers midway down a cabinet where the laptops are stored.
Although the service is free, charges will apply for the loss, theft, damage or late return of devices. Staff and students will be fined €2 for every hour the laptop is overdue, and the borrowers library account will be blocked two hours after the initial due time, preventing further borrowing of any Library material. A fine of €500 is imposed for lost or stolen laptops.
Several Irish universities have established their own laptop loan services, including University College Dublin (UCD), Dublin City University (DCU) and University College Cork (UCC), all of which require students to return the devices within three or four hours.
