UCSD Library App Targets Available Computers

A new mobile app launched by the UC San Diego Library last fall has students on campus buzzing. The PC Availability App gives students instant minute-by-minute feedback on the availability of more than 400 computers in the school's computer labs and common areas.

Assistant Director of Academic Computing and Media Services Dan Suchy said before the app came out, a lot of students waited hours for a computer to open up or wandered around aimlessly until they found one.

"I take the bus to and from work everyday and I've personally heard students complaining about locating computers to use, especially during midterms and finals," UCSD Library Web Manager Matt Critchlow said.

The app was developed jointly by five team members from the library and ACMS. Critchlow said ACMS already had an internal data system they were using to track computers for maintenance—it was only a matter of centralizing the data. It took the team about a month to develop the app after the two departments agreed to collaborate.

The app currently sorts computers by listing their locations, but Critchlow said they would eventually like to integrate a map feature to allow students to see what their relative location is to the nearest computer. 

Suchy and Critchlow said the app has been well-received by students so far. The app doesn't track the exact number of users, but Suchy said there are easily thousands of students every quarter who use it.

"It's such a simple idea, but I think it makes such a powerful difference," Suchy said.