Today most students rely on mobile devices – smartphones, iPads, tablets and more – for school, work or fun. But there’s one feature that almost all students complain about: how quickly their devices run out of power.
If you carry your charger around with you, powering it up isn’t as much of a challenge. But what about the majority of us who don’t? Wouldn’t it be great if the library had a station where you could plug your phone or tablet directly into a charger?
Now it does! Swem Library has ordered three Kwikboost charging stations. Each station can charge up to eight devices at once using a single standard electrical outlet. The stations will be placed throughout the library and since they are portable, can be relocated to wherever they are most needed.
“Mobile devices have become very important tools for students these days, and being able to charge them in the library is crucial. Since students won’t have to leave to charge their devices, they can focus on getting their work done, making them more productive,” said Katherine McKenzie, head of interlibrary loan and the person who coordinated the project.
McKenzie was awarded a Swem Library innovation grant, a program that encourages library staff to submit ideas that promote innovation and creativity, to fund the idea.
“Adding this charging service is outside the ‘normal’ realm of library services, but it provides a creative solution to a common, mundane problem encountered on a regular basis,” she said.
The stations will be arriving soon. Look for the “Get Charged” signs!