Iowa State University: Personal Printers Allowed?

Students at Iowa State University have access to a wide range of printing resources, with printers located throughout the campus in halls, apartments, and computer labs. Each semester, students receive an allotment of print credits funded through student technology fees, with 1000 base print credits for black-and-white printing and 15 units per page for color printing. While students can print from their own laptops or devices, the university recommends considering the use of university-owned printers first. So, can students bring their own printers to Iowa State University?

Iowa State University's printing services and locations

Iowa State University offers comprehensive printing services and locations for students to utilise. The university's Printing Services provide year-round printing at the Student Innovation Centre, where students can print various materials, including business cards and contact cards.

Students at Iowa State University receive an allotment of print credits each semester, funded through student technology fees. These print credits can be used at various locations across campus, including in computer labs, libraries, and residence halls. Printing costs vary depending on the location and the student's major. For example, printing one page in black and white typically uses 5 print credits, while colour printing can cost up to 25 credits per page.

The Parks Library, the main library on campus, offers several colour and black-and-white printers, most of which can also copy and scan. Students can submit their documents for printing from library computers or their personal devices using the PaperCut Mobility Print software. The library also provides book scanners and FindMe printers, which students can use free of charge.

In addition to the Parks Library, students can access printers in various residence halls and apartments, such as Buchanan Hall, Eaton Hall, Oak-Elm Hall, and Linden Hall. These printers are conveniently located in computer labs, cyber lounges, and common areas, providing easy access for residents.

Overall, Iowa State University provides a range of printing services and locations to meet the diverse needs of its student population. With print credits and accessible printing facilities, students can efficiently manage their printing requirements throughout their time at the university.

Printing credits and costs

Students at Iowa State University receive 1,000 print credits each semester, funded through student technology fees. These credits can be used to print from university-owned printers, which are located across campus, including in the Student Innovation Center, residence halls, and computer labs.

The cost of printing varies depending on the printer location and the student's major. For example, printing 1 page (black and white) typically uses 5 credits, while colour printing can be up to 15 or 25 credits per page. The cost of printing double-sided is considered 2 pages for most printers, although some computer labs may provide a partial discount for this option.

If students run low on print credits, they can request more in the ISU Service Portal. These additional credits are also funded through the student technology fee.

For students in the College of Engineering, the printing process works slightly differently. These students receive a total of 4,000 units per semester for printing, and the standard charge is 5 units per page for black-and-white and 15 units per page for colour. If they use up their initial 4,000 units, additional printing costs will be charged directly to their U-Bill, with a maximum charge of $50 per semester. However, students can request an increase in this amount through the Solution Center.

While students can print from their own laptops or devices, any printers they purchase for their dorm rooms cannot be added to the Iowa State network. Therefore, it is recommended that students first consider their printing needs and how university-owned printers can meet those needs.

Printing from personal devices

Students at Iowa State University can print from their personal devices, such as laptops, phones, and tablets. To do this, students can use PaperCut Mobility Print to send jobs to networked printers in Parks Library or other campus facilities. Before printing, students should look at the printer for a label starting with 'ISU-BW' or 'LIBRARY-FindMe'. Both will only print documents after the student goes to the printer and logs in. Students can then choose the matching label in Papercut when asked which printer they want to use.

To print their documents, students go to a FindMe printer and log in by either tapping their ISU Card on the reader or manually using their email address and password on the touchscreen. All of the queued documents will begin printing after logging in, either automatically or by selecting 'Print All' or choosing specific documents. There is a two-hour time limit from submitting a document to printing it. If the student does not log in to the FindMe printer within this time, the document print job will be cancelled automatically. Print units are charged each time a document is printed.

Students in the College of Engineering can also print from their personal devices using Mobility Print by PaperCut. This allows for secure printing through the PaperCut application and uses the same print credits as printing from a lab computer. Many locations in the College of Engineering have Mobility Print enabled.

Students can also buy a printer for their dorm room or other on-campus housing, but it cannot be added to Iowa State's network.

Printing from university devices

Students at Iowa State University receive an allotment of print credits each semester funded through student technology fees. Students receive 1000 base print credits each semester, with the option to request more when needed. Printing 1 page (black and white) uses 5 credits, while colour printing uses 15 credits per page.

The PaperCut software is used to manage on-campus printing. PaperCut helps to send print jobs from a specific device to an ISU printer and keeps track of how many credits are being used. Students can use their print credits to print from library computers, laptops, and even a phone or tablet.

To print from a university device, students can submit their document for printing from a library computer and log in to PaperCut when prompted using their Net-ID and password. Students using a personal device can use PaperCut Mobility Print to send jobs to networked printers in Parks Library or other campus facilities.

There are several locations across the Iowa State campus where students can print. These include:

• Buchanan Hall: Computer lab, room 1103
• Eaton Hall: Computer lab, room 1154
• Oak-Elm Hall: Computer lab, room 1125
• Linden Hall: Cyber lounge, room A138
• Friley Hall: Across from the hall desk, room CC2412
• Geoffroy Hall: Computer lab, room G209
• Helser Hall: First floor lounge, room CY1510
• Martin Hall: Computer lab, room 2108
• Maple, Willow, Larch Halls: Commons, near the MWL Hall Desk, room C2100
• Wallace Hall: Commons computer lab, room C1211
• Frederiksen Court: Community Center, near the main office, room CC1020

Scanning and copying services

Students at Iowa State University receive an allotment of print credits each semester funded through student technology fees. They can use these print credits for scanning and copying services at the university.

Iowa State University offers scanning and copying services at various locations on campus. The Parks Library, for example, has several colour and black-and-white printers in open areas, most of which can copy and scan. The library also has five self-serve book scanners and several FindMe printers with scanning capabilities, which are available during all open hours and are free to use. The scanning area accepts items up to 17" by 24", and users can scan in colour, grayscale, or black and white. Output formats include JPEG, PDF, and TIFF. The Veterinary Medical Library also has one book scanner and one FindMe printer.

In addition to the library, the College of Design's Output Center (Room 426, College of Design) offers wide-format scanning. The Center for Technology in Learning and Teaching (Room 0640, Lagomarcino Hall) also has a scanner that allows users to email scanned documents to themselves.

The Maps, Media, and Microforms room in the library is equipped with two digital scanners, allowing users to scan images from microfilm, microfiche, slides, or negatives. This service is also free of charge, and users can email the scanned images or copy them to their flash drives or CDs.

The FindMe printers in the Parks Library can also be used for copying documents. Copying in black and white uses 5 print credits per page, while colour copying uses 25 print credits per page.

It is recommended that students explore the different printing resources available on campus and consider their printing needs before purchasing their own printers. The university's printing services offer convenience and flexibility, with options for scanning, copying, and printing, and the ability to use print credits or pay per use.

Frequently asked questions