My Tech Coordinator and I finally solved the problem of printing from wireless devices in the Library! This was a real issue for us because both classes and lunch students heavily use the two iPad and two Chromebook carts housed in the Library, but they couldn’t print. So students would email their work to me to be printed at the circ desk or I would let them use the computer in the workroom to print from their email. Either way it was a cumbersome work-around.
We acquired two air printers last year, one for the library and one for the lab in the rear, hoping to solve the problem. But the printers wouldn’t show up on our devices. It turns out that the network was the culprit!
The trick is that the printer must be completely wireless. If the printer is connected to the network the Chromebook will not find it. So here is how it works:
I set up a dummy Gmail account, then used that to create a new user on the Chromebooks. I posted signs around the library with the Gmail username and password and directions for using the printer.
Students:
must first log on to the chromebook with the email account you create then- open chrome and
- login to their CPS account.
- open their document on the drive and click print
- change the destination to your wireless printer then
- click print
Right now I still have to do a lot of one-on-one as they learn how to loon correctly and find the printer, but the kids are ecstatic and so am I. The iPads also print to the wireless printer. They just have to be in range so the iPad will recognize the printer.
So I now have one networked printer for the Macs and one wireless printer for the iPads and Chromebooks at the circulation desk. We put an older networked printer in the lab at the rear of the library. Now everybody can print!
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