SFU Library Feedback
Q. Hi, I have a quick question. Will the library computers and printers be accessible to students during the extended 24-hour open period? (for example, at 5 a.m. Saturday on Apr. 20th). Hope to hear back from you soon. Thanks.
A. Yes the library computers and printers are accessible during the 24 hour opening.
Scott
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Scott Mackenzie
Head, Access Services
Q. Can we have a DropBox app installed on PCs or Macs at the library? It is just more convenient to work in the app rather than download and re-upload files every time. Thanks!
A. I raised your question with computing services, who have ultimate authority over what appears on our lab PCs.
Unfortunately the feeling is that installing DropBox would suggest SFU is implicitly endorsing a service that enable students to store what could be considered private data on servers outside of Canada, potentially violating FIPPA legislation.
At this point in time we are unable to install DropBox on lab PCs at SFU.
Please note that there is also SFU’s provided file space, which is mounted on the user desktops as a network drive, and which can easily be accessed from home.
http://www.sfu.ca/itservices/accounts/personal_webspace.html
Neal Baldwin
Manager, Computer Operations
Q. Hi
Please consider changing the keyboards many of the computers at the Belzberg library. The letters have faded and the keyboards themselves are quite dirty. For non-touch typists, it is helpful to be able to see the letters on the keys. Thanks.
A. Hello,
Thanks very much for the suggestion. The keyboards will be replaced within the next month. I appreciate your bringing this issue to our attention.
Best regards,
Karen Marotz
Head, Belzberg Library
Q. I foolishly left my black and red 8G memory stick in one of the Macs on the main floor, to the right of the Ask Us desk. If it’s there I’ll be in at 8AM tomorrow morning to pick it up!
A. Your USB key was still in the Mac computer this morning. It was removed this morning and is at the Checkout desk in the Bennett Library for you to pick up.
Regards,
Don Taylor
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Donald Taylor
Ass’t Head Access Services and IR Coordinator
Simon Fraser University Library, Burnaby BC
Q. Please buy more micro USB chargers, I always ask for one and all of the ones you have are broken.
Q. A few evenings ago, near library closing time, the computer I was working on closed down with only a few SECONDS warning. I lost about an hour’s work. Please make sure library computers give sufficient warning before shut-down. About 15 minutes warning seems about right.
A. I’m sorry to hear you suffered a loss of data. I’m guessing you are using one of the northern PCs on the third floor of the library at Burnaby. Those machines are under management of computing services, and I’m told they currently do not have a timeout value set.
For all the library workstations in public areas in the third-floor central area, and on the other floors, there is a warning that is displayed 15 min. previous to the shutdown of the workstations prior to closing. If you experienced this problem on one of these PCs, please let me know the name of the computer and we will test it out and resolve the issue.
We do work together to try to get our images as close to one another as possible and somehow this detail was missed. I have forwarded your message on to computing services as I know they are rebuilding a new image for the new semester.
Regards,
Neal Baldwin
Manager, Library Computer Operations
Q. Hi, I was doing my research assignment on one of the computers at school today. I opened my file from my harddrive, and was doing my assignment from there. When I finished, I saved my work before leaving. But, what I didn’t check was whether or not my work was saved onto my flashdrive; right now I only have a temporary file saved onto there, which I have no idea what that means, but I don’t have my work. I saw a notice by each of the computers saying that files saved onto the computers will not be saved. Does the computer’s settings go back to its default settings, or erasing all new memory everyday? I really hope not. If there’s anything I can do to retrieve my work back, please please please pleaaaseee let me know!! It would be greatly appreciated, thank you in advance.
A. Hi, Unfortunately the odds are very slim. Could you tell me which computer you were using and we can take a look. Time is of the essence since automated scripts run that delete everything from the hard drive each day. This may have occurred at midnight last night but we will check the computer that you specify.
Neal Baldwin
Manager, Library Computer Operations
Q. It seems as though people feel they have the liberty to abuse library computer privileges by “setting up shop” at a computer and then leaving it for long periods of time. This results in students who are in need of computers being left to wait in line even though there are available computers that aren’t in use! As I type this, the individual beside me has been gone for more than two hours but left their possessions at the computer so it looks like it’s being used. I find this very disrespectful and ignorant as I’ve seen it happen on more than one occasion, most often on the 5th floor of the library. User of the 5th Floor Library Computers
A. Dear User of the 5th Floor Library Computers,
Thank you for your feedback. I agree that this behaviour is both disrespectful and ignorant and we will look into ways of discouraging this kind of activity. However in the meantime it is feasible to determine where another available computer may be available. The “Computer Availability Tool” is available at http://www.lib.sfu.ca/m/computers . Hopefully this will helps alleviate the situation.
Todd M. Mundle
Associate University Librarian
Q. eBrary Reader has not been functioning on my laptop now for over a year, and there are books that are only available in this electronic format in the SFU library. Please fix the problem, it is frustrating that I cannot access books that I would like to use in research.
A. Hello,
I’m sorry to hear you’ve been having access problems with ebrary. Please review the following technical requirements to access ebrary, which is also copied below:
http://site.ebrary.com/help/en/faq_main.htm#FAQ_System_Requirements
“What are the system requirements?
Before you begin, check your browser for the following:
JavaScript is enabled.
Cookies are enabled.
Pop-ups are allowed for *.ebrary.com.
If you use firewall or security software, you might need to modify your configuration to prevent it from blocking ebrary.”
If the above does not solve your problem, you can bring your laptop to the Bennett Library’s Ask Us Desk where a technician can review your internet browser settings.
Thanks.
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Sandra Wong, Electronic Resources Librarian
Q. It’s becoming increasingly apparent that the laptops are very out of date. But even worse is that so many times I’ve been turned away from borrowing one because they’re all out. Maybe if the library were to start replacing the older laptops we would benefit from having more up-to-date technology and more available technology.
Please know that I am taking the time to write this because having laptops to borrow in the first place is a great service and incredibly helpful and I would like to see this service become more readily available.
Thank you.
A. Hello,
In actual fact the laptops are NOT very out of date; they are approximately one year and a half old, halfway through their refresh cycle of three years.
We are aware that the laptop checkout service is very popular, and have managed to come up with 4 more check out laptops that we will be adding to our checkout pool.
Unfortunately due to budget constraints it is not possible at this time to increase the number of laptops that we have on loan, beyond the 4 extra laptops mentioned earlier.
We are investigating other options, such as an image one can overlay on their own laptop that duplicates the image on the checkout laptops.
Also, there are many more departments on campus besides the library. Perhaps they could also offer some sort of laptop checkout service, if students demonstrate the need for such a service at those departments.
Neal Baldwin
Manager, Computer Operations