digital booking of media center?

[Tracy Richards]

Does anyone use a digital booking system for their media center? I would like to try one next year. The media center runs the library, 4 computer labs throughout the school and projector carts, so I would need something that could handle all of that. Also, something some self-proclaimed ludite teachers can handle.

Thanks
Tracy

[Camille Ward]

Tracy,
I have used Outlook shared calendars for each of the computer labs, media center, etc. at my school. It works well.
I also have used google calendars. That worked well also. You'll need to decide whether you want to give rights to all teachers or whether you want to retain rights. If you do, they would need to email you to reserve, but they could see the calendar. All our teachers have rights to reserve and change the reservations and we have had no problems.
Camille Ward

[Tracy Richards]

I like google docs.

Do you mean that each lab has a separate calendar?

Tracy

[Jo-Anne Gibson]

We use an online booking system for our school library, computer labs, outdoor classrooms and AV equipment and we love it!! It was designed by a student at our local high school who was looking for a real-life project to put his computer skills to work. We can only access it from school and it's hosted on our server. I'm not a techno person so I couldn't help design it for you but it definitely can be done.

[Leigh Husieff]

I have been booking the library, computer lab, and media carts for years using an online calendar that is part of our staff's email system. The calendars show up as icons in our staff conference. Teachers can book the media carts and lab themselves. It's as simple as creating an event on that day. The luddite teachers just need a one time lesson and they are off and running.

My library calendar is available for teachers to view through the conference, but I don't let teachers book their own time in the library for fear that I might think I know what is happening in the morning and when I arrive a class shows up that I wasn't expecting because the teacher booked them in the night before. They still have to talk to me first to book research time.

I love doing bookings this way. Staff can view availability and plan accordingly. It really works for us.

[Lesley Edwards]

We use the calendar in First Class. Not sure if your district uses FC or not. I just asked IT Services to create one calendar for each area. I manage them. Teachers can put in bookings but only I can change or edit a booking once it is made.

[Janet Madsen]

Hi Tracy,

We started using Google calendars on our library wiki to schedule the library and computer labs.
We are still using paper for our equipment scheduling.
Here is the link to the calendar page:


Previous to this we had a paper calendar we kept at the circulation desk. Teachers could sign up in person
or by calling or e-mailing. It was a big stress and adjustment for library staff as we had to spend a lot of time
training and assisting teachers who either did not want to use the Google system or who just had a hard time
with it. A staff survey at the end of the year showed 56% in favor of returning to the old system.
However, our principal wants us to continue using an online system so I am looking into having a spreadsheet
updated on a webpage. There were just too many glitches in the Google system.
I am all for 24-7 access to the schedule but it needs to be easy to use and reliable.

[Janet Madsen]

Here's the link again. Not sure why it did not show.

http://westvalleylibrary.pbworks.com/Computer+Labs

[Eric Bodwell]

We use Google Docs to create an online calendar and a sign up form. The way we have it set up isn't perfect, but it works for us. Teachers can check the availability of resources but cannot modify it. They then fill out a form and we update the calendar. Both use the spreadsheet tool in Google Docs. Here is our sign up page:

http://d94.org/lrcweb/teachers/teachersignup/signup_calendar.htm

Our own luddites were a little apprehensive at first but they seemed to get it.

[Tracy Richards]

Thanks Eric.

I like the google idea. I gave the 'problem' to the tech department in my district and they tell me I can use the existing Calendar feature in the OfficeOutlook my district uses.

I hope it is as likeable as Google docs.