Tag Archives: printers

WATCH THIS SPACE: PRINTERS

A lot of university decision-making is slow-burning, and months will often pass before we are able to provide an update or a follow-up. We will pepper this year-end review with a some of the stories we briefly covered in 2017-18 that, we predict, will be revisited in 2018-19.

For example, in subtext 166, we reported on the mass cull of office printers by ISS, as part of a review which presented two options: ‘do nothing’ or ‘obliterate everything.’ It may be time for us to see how that panned out.

http://wp.lancs.ac.uk/subtext/2017/10/12/pc-load-letter/

PC LOAD LETTER

Do you have a printer in your office or shared area? Well you won’t for much longer!

Following the outcome of the ‘print transformation project’, all standalone inkjet and laser printers are due to be removed from offices and disposed of ‘in an environmentally friendly manner’. In their place, we’re being told to use the printing and scanning facilities on our departmental photocopiers. This is supposed to ensure a ‘consistent high quality user experience’ for all.

How on earth did this decision happen? Two business options were considered for our office printers: ‘do nothing’ and ‘obliterate everything’. The latter option won, on cost grounds, although given that ISS are also going to end all attempts to monitor individual usage of the copiers (the staff print journal will no longer be maintained), subtext wonders how this claim of value for money is going to be monitored.

‘It is possible,’ reported ISS at the time of approval, ‘that removal of personal printers may be unpopular.’ Oh!?