Georgia Southern'S Checkout Equipment: Laptops, Cameras, Board Games, And More: How We Manage The Checkout Equipment Program

Wilhelmina Randtke, Georgia Southern University
Jessica Garner, Georgia Southern University
Lonnie Brogdon, Georgia Southern University
Tony Curtis, Georgia Southern University

Georgia Southern University faculty members, Wilhelmina Randtke, Jessica Garner, Lonnie Brogdon, and Tony Curtis co-presented Georgia Southern'S Checkout Equipment: Laptops, Cameras, Board Games, And More: How We Manage The Checkout Equipment Program in the Georgia Library Conference 2022: You Belong, October 2022.


Program

Abstract or Description

Georgia Southern makes available a variety of equipment for student check out including a fleet of approximately 200 laptops, high-end digital cameras, tripods and lighting kits, video recording equipment, high-end microphones, and more. Equipment checkout is popular with students with equipment cycling in and out. Equipment also presents unique cataloging challenges. MARC was designed for books, and providing a good search for pulling statistics for non-traditional items can be a challenge. Items also may be returned needing repairs and Georgia Southern performs in-house repairs on laptops and other electronics. ++ Participants will learn about ways to manage multipart checkout items, such as camera and laptops, a board game with many pieces, or a DSLR camera with lens and an SD card.

++ Participants will learn about ways to better use the ILS, a system designed for books but allowing seamless checkout to students, to manage equipment.

++ Participants will learn about ways Georgia Southern collects statistics on how materials are used and workflows and processes that allow for better statistics.

++ Participants will learn about total costs of operating an equipment program, including commons repairs, average costs of parts to sustain each type of equipment, and employee time needed to perform in-house repairs.