Managing Print Jobs

Complete PAC Management

Print Job Management (PJM) is important for cost control wherever patrons are allowed to print on library printers. Paper and toner are expensive for any printer and particularly expensive for libraries providing color printing. Patrons often without realizing it, print documents with many more pages than they actually intended. Even when patrons are not charged for printing, PJM can rapidly reduce the costs for providing printing services.

The Odyssey Print Job Manager (PJM) looks to patron stations just like an ordinary printer. When patrons print however, rather than producing printer output, PJM stores the job on the server. Along with the actual document, PJM also stores a variety of job properties. These include username, workstation ID and the number of pages requested. Using these stored properties, along with prices set by the library, PJM calculates the cost of actually printing the job on the type of real printer the patron has selected.

When a patron is satisfied with the number of pages requested, the cost of printing the job, and is ready to actually print, they can release their jobs to a real printer. Patrons can use a card they have purchased from the library which contains a unique character string. When this string is typed by the patron on the workstation it releases the job and at the same time deducts from the account associated with the card to cost of printing the job. They can also ask a librarian to release the job from any PC or workstation in the library. PJM ensures patrons only print what they want, and if there is a charge, pay for what they print. PJM also provides the opportunity for printing drafts on less expensive black and white before paying the higher cost for color printing.

Print Job Management helps patrons keep their documents private as they are only sent to a printer when released, giving the patron the opportunity to stand by the printer as their job is printed and collect it immediately after completion.

In addition to helping libraries and patrons save dramatically on printing costs Print Job Management demonstrates environmental responsibility.