• Getting started:

  • Place the laptop on a stable surface.

  • The network card must be turned on before turning on the laptop.  Extending the network antennae turns on the card. Network connectivity is provided by a wireless network card (located on the right hand side of the laptop).

  • Before turning on the laptop, turn on the network card by extending the antennae. 

 

• After extending the wireless network antennae, the antennae will look like the following photo.

• To open the display push the release button at the center front edge of the laptop in order to release the lock, and then lift to open.  See the following photo:
   

• To turn on, depress the round power switch at the upper left of the keyboard.  See the following photo to see where the power button is located.
   

• It may take a minute or two for Windows XP to boot up completely.

• You are now ready to use the laptop as depicted in the following photo: 

• Network Connectivity:

  • Network signal strength can be seen by moving the mouse over the small icon at the bottom right that has two computers with the screens flashing blue.  If the signal strength is poor, move to another location.  There are some localized areas in the library with compromised reception, such as far corners on the main and fourth floors. 

  • Be aware that signal strength can be excellent, and the laptop may still not connect to the network.  Network connectivity problems can be localized. Move to another room, floor, or quadrant of a floor of the library and try again.

• Optional Timer: 

  • A timer (Freewatch) has been installed on the laptop desktop to keep track of how long you have been using the laptop.  To use the timer, double click on the timer icon. Once the application launches, click start.  Minimize the timer while it is running and check as needed. 

•  Moving the Pointer:

  • The pointer (cursor) can be moved either by using the pointing device (eraser head in the keyboard above the letter B), or by using the touch pad located on the wrist rest in front of the keyboard.  Two sets of mouse buttons are located above and below the touch pad and they are interchangeable. 

  • To see the locations of the pointing device and touch pad, see the following photo:

• When using the touchpad, tap lightly on the pad to click on an object on the screen.  Tap lightly twice to double-click.  To click and drag, tap twice, but keep a finger on the touch pad after the second tap. Slide that finger on the pad to drag the object on the screen.  The mouse buttons can be used with the touch pad too. 

• Battery and AC Power:

  • The average battery life is about two hours when the wireless card is active.  The library makes every effort to provide laptops with fully charged batteries.  However, during busy periods, a laptop may not have time to receive full charge between uses.  A power adapter and power cord that will allow use of AC current from any wall outlet is checked out with each laptop.

  •  The connection for the AC adapter is at the back of the laptop near the fans.  The following photo depicts where to plug the AC adapter in to at the back of the laptop.

• If you move the mouse cursor over the battery status indicator icon--small blue battery at the left end (right-hand edge) of the taskbar display, the percentage of battery life left will show.  In addition, if the battery is beginning to run low, a message box will come with a warning suggesting that work be saved, and a shift made to AC power.  There are no spare batteries available for the laptops.

• Printing:

  • In order to print, the laptop must be connected to the network.  One printer is set up for the laptop. Send print jobs to this printer which is either one of the two public printers located in the Reference Area on the Main Floor of Kent Library.
     

• Saving Files: 

  • Important:  Please save work to a floppy disk, CD-R, or CD-RW before turning off the laptop.  All documents or files saved to the desktop or hard drive of the laptop will be erased when the laptop is turned off. Library personnel are not responsible for information lost on the laptop.

•  You may save work to a regular 3 1/2 floppy disk using the floppy disk drive located in the front left edge of the laptop.  Select the A: drive when saving a file instead of the default Save location which is the My Documents folder located on the desktop.

• You may also save your work to a CD-R or CD-RW disk using the disk drive located on the left hand side of the laptop as shown in the following photo.  In order to transfer files that you created to a CD- or CD-RW disk follow the steps below.

•  Insert CD-R or CD-RW disk in CD/DVD drive

• A dialog box opens with a number of options. Select the Open writeable CD Folder using Windows Explorer option and click on the OK button

• Copy or place files in the Window (directory) that has just opened

• Once the files have finished copying to this Window, click on the Write these files to CD option in the upper left hand corner of the Window.

• A dialog box opens for naming the CD.

• Click on the Next button.

• When the files have been written to the CD, the drive and a dialog box will open.

• Click on the Finish button on the dialog box that just opened

• Close the Window (directory) that initially opened.

• The files have been written successfully to the CD.

• Renewing the laptop:

  • Please bring the laptop and all the checked-out components (laptop bag, AC adapter) to the Circulation Desk in Kent Library.  Loaner laptops may be renewed for one additional three hour period IF no one is waiting to use a laptop.

  • To renew a laptop in the middle of working on something it is NOT necessary to shut it down in order to renew it.  However, if others are waiting to check out a laptop when it is time to renew it, work must be saved, and the laptop and all its components checked in.  It is a good idea to save work regularly.
     

• Installing Personal Software:

  • Software may be installed on the laptop for the time the laptop is borrowed as long as the laptop will allow the installation.  Not all software can be installed on the laptop due to the security configuration.  Installation and use of software packages is done at the borrowers risk.  Remember, any programs installed while you are using the laptop will be erased when the laptop is turned off.
     

•  CD/DVD Drive:

  • The laptop is equipped with a CD and DVD drive located on the left side of the laptop.  To open the drive, press the small button located on the drive.  Refer to the following photos to see the location of the drive.

• Headphones

  • Headphones may be checked out at the circulation desk. The headphone jack is the center input jack on the right hand side of the laptop underneath the network card.  See the location of the audio input jack in the following photo.

• Turning Off the Laptop:

  • Do not turn off the laptop until work is saved to a floppy or CD-R or CD-RW disk.  Files saved to the desktop or the hard drive are erased when the laptop is turned off.

  • Before you shut down the laptop, please remove any floppy disks or CDs or DVDs that were used with the laptop.  Disks found in the laptops are placed in Lost & Found at the Circulation Desk.

  • Click on the Start button (lower left corner of the display) and select Shutdown.  The Shutdown options window will come up.  The default option is Shut down.  Click on the OK button.

  • The laptop can also be shut down by pressing and holding down the power button until it shuts down (the lights go out).  The following photo depicts the location of the power button.

• All laptops must be shut down when they are returned to the Circulation Desk.

• Wireless Network Connection:

  • The laptops will connect to the internet via the wireless network card automatically as long as the card has been extended prior to the PC being turned on.  The following photo depicts an extended wireless network card.

•  Move to another part of the floor, room, or floor in the library if there is a problem connecting to the Network.  Network problems are often localized.  Please report the problem of connectivity to the Circulation Desk if changing location does not help.

• Printing Problems:

  • The laptop must be connected to the wireless network in order to print.  The laptop can print to the printers in the Reference area on the main floor of Kent Library.

•  Saving your work:

  •  Save work to a standard floppy disk (1.44 MB) using the disk drive built-in to the laptop.  Some files, especially PDF and graphics files, may be too large to save onto a floppy disk.

  •  Work can also be saved to a CD-R or CD-RW using the disk drive built-in to the laptop.

  •  Disks and CDs may be purchased at the SEMO Bookstore in the University Center.

  • For directions on how to save to one of these formats, please refer to these directions.
     

•  Hardware problems with the laptop:

  •  Please report all hardware problems to the supervisor at the Circulation Desk.  If there is a hardware problem, and another available, the available laptop may be checked out.
     

•  Software problems (program wont run, etc):

  •  Please report non-functioning software to the supervisor at the Circulation Desk.  If a program hangs or freezes, restart the laptop.  Use the task manager (right click on the bar at the bottom of the screen) to close a hung or frozen program. Save work first if possible

  •  Although personal software can be installed on the laptops, due to the configuration and the security features of the laptops, the library can not guarantee that any particular application or program can be installed or will run.  Anything installed on the laptop will be deleted when the laptop is shutdown.
     

•  Questions about using software or applications:

  •  Library personnel are not responsible for teaching patrons to use software programs that are installed on the laptop.

  •  Most software applications include built-in Help functions.  Look for the Help option on the Menu Bar of the software programs.