Gen: New Media Center purchases

[Frances Pickard 904-739-5200 <PICKARF@MAIL.FIRN.EDU>]

To LM netters,

After being cramped in temporary quarters for a year , I am now in full
swing ordering the equipment and material for our new Media Center.  This
is an older school that has been completely remodeled; however the library
is all new construction.  I would like to benefit from any of you who have
experienced a similar situation recently and advise me on  what  you
purchased that was most valuable and what  you wish you had not bothered
with.
        There will be a studio and control room that will be a part of the
Media Center.  This will be used for closed circuit productions and
possible a production class in another year.
        One of my main concerns is purchasing good printers.  Printers are
a major part of my stress everyday and  a real time killer. Students often
need to locate materials quickly and having to wait on a slow or jammed
printer is a nightmare.  We will  have our computer catalog networked and a
meridian tower as a node on the network running Unison on novel l network
with ethernet adapters (I will also be using Iclas).  I wanted to know
which printer that you would recommend that would:
1-not be too loud,
2-inexpensive to run and maintain,
3-and fast enough (10+pages a minute} to put on the network for student
use.
 I will  start with 11 stations. I will be using  Compaq  Prolineas.  I am
considering laser instead of ink jet  because of the cost of each page.
Color  printing will be available in the production area but black and
white should be fine for the main reading room.
        I also would like to hear from any of you who have furnished a new
media center recently and what you wished you had ordered that you did not
and what  you purchased that has been the most valuable.
        Because of a limited  budget I donUt think the studio will be too
elaborate and I would like to know what  basic purchases you would
recommend.  I have an old Panasonic editor that works really well but does
not have SVHS.  I am wanting to have something nice but practical at the
same time.  We are material poor because the school has changed in the last
5 years from 8th and 9th to 6th - 8th.
        Sorry this is so long.  You may respond to me directly.  I will
post a hit on all the good replies IUm sure I will receive.TIA

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Frances W. Pickard      Pickarf@mail.firn.edu           (904)739-5200
Dupont Middle School
2710 Dupont Ave.
Jacksonville, Fl. 32217
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