LJMU PRINT Strategy
What is the LJMU PRINT Strategy?
The LJMU PRINT Strategy is an organisation wide, strategic approach to all the photocopying and printing requirements of the university, both for staff and students.
What are its aims?
The aims of the PRINT Strategy are:
- Seek to reduce the volume of printed and photocopied material where this is without detriment to teaching and learning and administrative functions.
- Seek to reduce spending on printing and photocopying through providing local management with improved information and devolved control on the costs of PRINT and provision of access to the most efficient equipment.
- Encourage the use of recycled paper and environmentally friendly printing processes.
- Promote the strategic management of PRINT through seeking to engage a PRINT supplier and/or advisor capable of taking an organisational view of printing and its IT requirements and determining whether in house or external provision of PRINT services best meets demand.
- Seek efficiencies of operation through liaison with other Higher Education Institutions and other compatible organisations.
How will this be achieved?
The PRINT Strategy has been developed to deliver a common infrastructure of digital PRINT multifunctional devices (MFDs) and approved "legacy" printers which have been chosen and located after considering the aims of the strategy, the layout of buildings, user needs in the immediate area, and the need for resilience.
The devices are supported by PRINT management software and by a web-based system (TRAC) to enable major print jobs to be sent electronically to the Print Room in JMU Tower.
A PRINT environment is in place from 2008/9 where staff and students are provided with suitable devices for document management, whether through scanning, printing or copying.
Managing the MFDs
Users access the centrally managed network of devices using their LJMU proximity cards. All costs of printing and photocopying, including paper, are charged for on a usage basis.
Accounting for printing and photocopying use is through the Equitrac PRINT management software which records staff and student details from their proximity cards. To avoid unnecessary detail and the elaborate allocation of costs, staff usage is being recorded at the departmental budgetary level, but further analysis will be available where this is strictly essential. Students are able to load a "virtual purse" via cash-loading machines or web-based credit transactions.
Who is implementing these changes?
IKON Office Solutions was selected in May 2007 by the Print Strategy Board as best meeting LJMU’s requirements.
IKON completed installing new digital devices by April 2009 following a phased implementation. Phase1, involving the Learning Resource Centres and all other student areas, buildings in Tithebarn Street and Rodney Street and at Kingsway House, Castle House and JMU Tower, was completed for installations early in 2008. This implementation is now being reviewed and refined to ensure the right balance of MFD's and legacy printers. Phase 2, for the IM Marsh campus and the Dean Walters and John Foster buildings was completed during the summer of 2008. Phase 3 saw the completion of Byrom Street and most of LJMU's other locations in the first three months of 2009.
IKON is also working with LJMU in managing the Print Room. After intial manufacturer-based problems with the new machines installed, IKON have secured replacement machines in July 2008. These now ensure digital printing/copying and finishing can be handled economically and efficiently. TRAC, IKON's web based job handling system, has been fully operational from April and is proving immensely popular. From May 2009, a Print Broker service is being provided through the Print Room. All general printing jobs for staff go through an IKON managed process to ensure that either the Print Room or approved external printing firms undertake them at the most competitive rates and to user requirements.
