Going Beyond Loaning Books to Loaning Technologies

Abstract

Providing library users with actual pieces of technological equipment that they can borrow is a continuously expanding service at many libraries, especially as faculty and teachers require multimodal projects. For some libraries, loanable technology may include calculators, gaming devices, headphones, e-readers, laptops, and tablets. Increasingly though, there is also demand for all types of cameras, lighting, voice recorders, microphones, external storage devices, projectors, peripherals and converters, among hundreds of possibilities.

Based on their successful program at a large research institution, the authors provide a practical manual, complete with examples, forms, and templates that cover all aspects of establishing and maintaining a loanable technology program.

Going Beyond Books to Loaning Technologies: A Practical Guide for Librarians provides the nuts and bolts and the “behind-the scenes” details of developing a program and walks librarians and information technology professionals through even some of the complex decisions and processes, such as:

• needs assessment

• budget allocation

• selecting, cataloging, processing and storing equipment;

• circulation, billing, and troubleshooting

• training

• collaborating with others to offer consultation services

• marketing, and

• assessment

Practical and easy to understand, here is a one-stop guide for anyone interested in lending technology to patrons.