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FAQs & Public Service Tips: Guest Users

Info and tips for helping Sims Library users.

Welcome to Our Guests

Welcome sign

Sims Library is part of Southeastern Louisiana University, a public institution. With this in mind, people who are not current Southeastern students or employees are welcome in the Library.  There are several types of users that you will encounter while you are working in the Reference room: students, staff, alumni, retirees, and people from the off-campus community. Please see the User Privilege chart for circulation and technology privileges listed by user type.

Guests include: community users/borrowers, alumni & retirees, dual enrollment students, ESL (English as a Second Language students, and Northshore Tech students.

Please give our guests the best service and a warm Southeastern welcome!

Community Borrowers

To checkout books, Community Users may purchase an annual individual or family membership for borrowing privileges of books and other print items. http://www.southeastern.edu/library/borrow/services/index.html

Community Users cannot check out technology or study rooms, and do not have remote database access or ILL privileges.

Southeastern alumni and Library users who are not affiliated with the University are welcome to use the library. However, they will need to sign up as a Guest in order to use PCs (Reference, Serials or Media). If they need to print, they must purchase a Guest Print Card at the Circulation Desk.

* About the Louisiana Library Connection 

Community Borrowing Program Membership
Louisiana residents, 18 years of age or older and not affiliated with Southeastern Louisiana University, may become registered borrowers with the Sims Memorial Library. The annual cost is $25 for a single borrower or $50 for up to 3 family members from the same household. The loan period is 4 weeks and a maximum 10 items may be checked out. The card must be presented along with a photo ID each time items are charged.

To apply for a Community Borrowing Program Membership, please bring a completed application form and a $25 check (made payable to Southeastern Louisiana University) or cash to the Circulation Desk of the Sims Memorial Library.

Releasing Guest Prints

Print Release address <https://lionprints.selu.edu:9192/release?>

1.       Log into Print Release at Reference Desk with personal W number and password

2.       Click edit next to Filter Off

3.       Scroll down and select elara/Guest Printer (virtual)

4.       Click on Apply filter

5.       Release the print job(s).

6.       Log off when done.

4.       Use ink or Sharpie to mark off number of prints on the green or blue cards that were spent

Guests may purchase green print cards ($1) or blue print cards ($5) at the Circ Desk

Guests with a W number who need to print

People who have a W number but are not current Southeastern students (current faculty or staff, alumni, former or retired University employees, NTCC students, dual enrollment students , etc.) can use their W numbers to log into the public VMs. However, they may need to re-set their passwords. This can be done by going to MyDen, then clicking "Change Password."

For the library employees ONLY -- these steps will allow these guests print to the Guest Printer:

1) Go to the VM where the individual has logged in, and click on the START button.

2)  In the "Search programs and files" box, type in \\elara and hit ENTER

3)  Locate the "GUEST" printer in the group and double click on it.  The queue for the Guest printer will pop up.  Close this box.

This will make the "GUEST" printer the default for that user until the user logs off.

From this point on, your normal procedure for releasing Guest prints will remain the same.

Guest Wifi network

SLU-Guest wifi network is for guests only.

If you are currently a student or employee, you must use the SLU-Secure wifi.

  • Guests who are not current Southeastern Students or employees may use SLU-guest wifi.
  • SLU-Guest wifi password is kept at the Reference Desk. The password changes on the first Monday of each month.

CLICK for more info on the Guest wifi

Guest Registration for Computer Access

Community users may request a Guest account to use the library computers (VMs).

Guests with a W# who are not current Southeastern students or employees (i.e. Dual Enrollment students and facilitators, Panamanian Bilingual students, Active Alumni, Retired employees, Northshore Tech Pathway students) may log in to the library public computers (VMs) using their W#. *If they need to reset their password, go to MyDen, click on "Change Password." 

Guests without a W# may request a Guest Account to log in to the library public computers (VMs). These guests include community users and International Baccalaureate students.

  • Users must show photo ID to request a Guest Account.
  • Guests may request a temporary account from the first floor Reference Desk.
    • These accounts expire the same day at closing time.
    • You must check photo IDs and record in the Google form.

 

Revised 08/19/2021

 

Free Printing -- Criteria

Librarians and GAs are asked to use their judgement in deciding when to release guest prints for "free." The library picks up the cost of such "free printing." Some examples of when it is appropriate:

For Students

  • New students who do not yet have printing and need transcripts, statements/receipts, financial aid forms, on-campus employment forms, or schedules
  • Returning students who are not registered during the current term and need the same types of prints as above

Note: The Office of Technology generally "opens" student printing the weekend before the semester begins, so most students can wait for schedules until printing is "turned on."

For Faculty

  • one or two page documents
  • lists of retrievals from the OPAC
  • a citation list
  • something that needs to be printed as part of an true "reference" or research interaction

For Visitors

      same as for faculty (above)

* We should not print course materials, class rolls, syllabi, etc. for faculty members. They should have printing in their departments.

Groups Need Guest Access to VMs

Groups who wish to use library VMs may request temporary accounts in advance.

Please submit a Freshdesk Ticket to Angie E., and include the following info:

  • Full name and email address must be provided for each individual who needs access, including instructors or presenters. Printing is not included.
  • Requests must be submitted one week in advance to ensure that the Office of Technology can configure the accounts by the event date.

Guest Printing

Guests who do not have Student Tech Fee prints can print to the Library Lab printers if they purchase a Print Card from the Circulation Desk (Employees, Dual Enrollment students and facilitators, active Alumni, Retired employees, Community Borrowers, International Baccalaureate).

Southeastern employees should print to a printer in their home department.  If they would like to print in the library, they must purchase a Print Card.

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Only the Reference Dept can release guest prints.
 
If a guest user is in Serials wants to print, the guest has three options:
1.) Send the print job(s) to the guest printer, walk down to Reference and the approved person in Reference will release the job(s).
2.) Attach the file(s) to a self-addressed email.  Open the email from a Reference workstation and print.  An approved person in Reference will release the job(s).
3.) Save the file(s) to a flash drive.  Open the files from a Reference workstation and print.  An approved person in Reference will release the job(s).
 
*This includes both the VM workstations and the Microfilm workstations.
 
Steps for sending print jobs to guest printer:

1.) Guest logs into a virtual machine (VM) in Reference or Serials, using guest account username and password.

2.) Guest must select the guest printer instead of the default printer Ref A, B, or C: 

           File>Print>Select Guest Printer on elara>Print

3.) Guest must ask a GA or reference librarian to release guest print.

Guests Printing from Microfilm

Guests to the Library who want to view and then print from the microfilm reader/printers will need to:

1.) Register as a Guest User.

2.) Purchase a green (10 pages for $1) or blue (50 pages for $5) print card (Circulation Department).

3.) Determine the microfilm number using the online catalog. Help with this is available in both the Reference and Serials public service areas.

4.) Find the microfilm reel(s) in the Serials Room.

5.) Log into a computer connected to the microfilm reader (Serials Room) with newly created guest credentials.

6.) Load the microfilm, find the desired images, follow directions on the placards.

7.) Save images to the desktop.

8.) Open the file and send to the elara Guest printer.

9.) Ask Reference personnel (1st floor) to release the guest print job..  

10.) Have purchased prints marked off green or blue card. (Ref staff)

11.) Log off PC

Note: Individuals who have a W number but are not current Southeastern students (including current faculty or staff, alumni, former or retired University employees, NTCC students, dual enrollment students , etc.) can use their W numbers to log into the public VMs. However, they may need to re-set their passwords. This can be done at the reference desk if they have set security questions in the past. Otherwise, they will need to go to McClimans Hall Room 111 (Help Desk) with an ID card: Monday through Thursday, 7:00 am - 6:00 pm and Friday 7:00 am until 6:00 pm.

Guests Using Microfilm

Guests who want to view microfilm and save images to a flash drive (without printing) must still register as a guest in order to use the computers.

1.) Register as a Guest User.

2). Determine the microfilm number using the online catalog. Help with this is available in both the Reference and Serials public service areas.

3.) Find the microfilm reel(s) in the Serials Room.

4.) Log into a computer connected to the microfilm reader (Serials Room) with newly created guest credentials.

5.) Load the microfilm, find the desired images. 

6.) Insert flash drive into computer and save images.

7.) Follow directions on the placards to save images to flash drives.

8.) Log off the computer, rewind the microfilm and place used micrfilm reels on book truck.