Fondren unveils real-time computer availability map

By Kevin S Lin     4/15/10 7:00pm

Tired of walking to Fondren only to find every computer unavailable? Fondren has the solution. In the wake of the launch of the mobile Fondren site, the library released the Fondren Real-Time Owlnet Computer Availability Map last week to let students check which computers are available for use at any given time. Diane Butler, assistant university librarian for Information Technology, was one of the chief proponents of this project. The original idea behind the Computer Availability Map came out of the Student Advisory Committee to the Library, which helps Fondren make improvements based on student recommendations, Butler said.

"We asked a long time ago, 'Would you like more computers?' and the answer was always yes," Butler said. "The one thing [students] always said was that it'd be nice to know if the computers were available before they walk all the way over to the library."

The biggest logistical challenge in undertaking this project was that most of the computers at Fondren are Owlnet computers, which meant they were under the control of central IT, so Fondren could not implement the changes directly, Butler said. Having worked at central IT, Butler pitched the idea to them in a brief meeting and the computer mapping system was set up one month later. It went live last Friday.

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Now, when students visit library. rice.edu/tools/fondren-owlnet-computer-availability-map#, they are greeted with a map of Fondren covered with computer icons that sit in the same location as their real-life counterparts. The Computer Availability Map pings each computer and shades the icon blue if it is busy, white if not and red if it is offline. Currently, the system shows the availability of computers at Fondren and the various college labs around Rice, but Butler said that there might be a possibility of expansion depending on the success of the current program.

The Computer Availability Map runs on a third-party software called LabStats, which is used by many other institutions, including Duke University. The maps are all designed in-house and are currently tracking 115 computers located within Fondren Library, Mudd Lab and all the residential colleges with the exception of McMurtry College and Duncan College.

McMurtry freshman Anna Handelman said she appreciates the recent changes.

"I think this system will be really helpful in planning how you're going to do your work and saving you the really annoying trip of going to Fondren only to find that there are no computers available," Handelman said.

In addition to checking the availability of Rice computers, LabStats also has a stats feature, which can determine which programs are used the most to give valuable insight that might be used toward future improvements, Butler said. Students can access some of these statistics that show the usage history of the computers in the various labs at Rice. The next step is to make this service available for Fondren mobile, Fondren's Web site for mobile phones, Butler said.

"We've got a lot more stuff coming," Butler said. "We're definitely trying to make things better in the library and just do more support for what the students need."

Besides optimizing the new Owlnet Computer system for Fondren mobile, Fondren staff are also working on making it possible to reserve study rooms and Digital Media Center equipment online, Butler said. They're also involved in the creation of a "mini-information commons" to open next fall. The commons will be funded by contributions from a Fondren donor. While details about the room are still in development, Butler said that it will be a space where students can relax, interact and hook up their computers to big displays to collaborate on projects. All this is done in an effort to provide better services to Rice students, Butler said.

"We're always open to suggestions," Butler said.

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