Webster Groves High School’s library applied a new electronic student check-in system last November, one being used to keep digital record of who comes into the library and from what classes.
This new system is much slower and creates a hassle for students coming and going from the library. It’s inconsistent, sometimes glitching out. When the system has numerous faults, the purpose, to create a quicker smoother way for students to get in and out of the library, is defeated.
The old-school pencil-and-paper check-in system was much more simple and speedy. There were no long lines. There was no struggle.
Librarian Sandra Coblitz said she knows the new tablet is not perfect, but she thinks it “gives students a chance to get used to using a tablet.”
Webster’s current students have grown up in an environment with advanced technology, though, and most if not all have some sort of experience already with a tablet.
Coblitz also found it beneficial that librarians could follow the check-ins as they happened. “It’s a Google form, so librarians can access the check-ins live,” said Coblitz. “We can tell the students’ teachers when they entered, when they left…”
It is true that students will request a library pass every now and then, but conveniently end up in Old Orchard, but this is uncommon and can be prevented just by adding a “time in” and “time out” step to the clipboard.
Of the new system’s concerns, Coblitz said, “Well, there have been glitches. Just a couple weeks ago there were problems to the Wi-Fi, so we had to temporarily shut it down and use the clipboard.” There were no glitches found with the clipboard.
Coblitz remarked, “It takes a little longer if a student has never used it, but if they have their name shows up after the first letter.” Along with dozens of other names starting with that letter.
While signing in on the tablet is like taking a survey on a lagging glitching machine, signing in on the old clipboard is just a quick signature before a person can get to work.
