New Mac computers are springing up this semester in the Information Commons at Glenn G. Bartle Library.
The 62 computers can be spotted among the older computers because of their telltale flat keyboards and contrasting black outlines on silver monitors.
According to James Wolf, director of Academic Computing Services, the new Macs were purchased with the operating system OS X 10.5 Leopard but have been downgraded to OS X 10.4 Tiger because of some difficulties. He hopes to get Leopard running again.
Freshman Joon So has high hopes for the upgrade from Tiger to Leopard.
“Leopard has over 300 new innovations when compared to Tiger,” So said, “and I think they’re a lot better than updates from Vista over Windows XP.”
The computers, located in the west Pods area, were funded by the Student Computer Access Program (SCAP), which was created under the State University of New York system to introduce computing technologies to students. SCAP has enabled the library and the campus’s Information Technology Services to replace new computers every 2.5 years, although no upgrade has been made for the Windows computers as of yet.
While the new Macs may have given the Information Commons a more futuristic look, actual plans for renovating the area are still underway. Since last semester, the Information Commons Committee has been talking about expanding the area.
“I think it’s great that they’re trying to bring more computers in because it does get really crowded here and some people can’t afford to have computers in their dorm rooms,” said Anjeanette Morey, who is earning her master’s degree in social work and public administration.
Although nothing is finalized at this point, Wolf commented that the idea is to maximize space and open up more computer and service availability. He said that the Committee, along with architects, will try to cluster the printers into a specific area so that lines will go faster.
“We know that it gets very crowded in there,” Wolf said, “so we’re trying to fix that.”
The plan includes more stand-up computers for quick access and an addition of 69 computers, which will be located on the south side of the Information Commons by the Assistance Desk. Books in that area will be moved either toward the Government Documents room or will be shelved upstairs with the rest of the library’s collections of books. Although reference materials might be moved, Alesia McManus, head of Research, Information and Instructional Services, stressed that the Committee wishes to keep the same look and feel of the library.
Currently, no one knows when the renovation plans will be expedited.
“Once this semester is in progress, it is hard to do major work because students will be in there all the time,” Wolf said.
To lessen congestion in the Information Commons, he reminds students that there are computers available across campus, and a new Linux Lab in Library North Ground room 103.