Hi,
My original target was for ideas on how to attach remote controls to their
associated equipment. Thanks to everyone who responded! Here are the ideas:
1. Most people suggested using velcro tape - where you attach a piece (be it
a dot, square, rectangle, etc.) to the remote and another piece to the
equipment. One person suggested putting the velcro next to the on/off
button, so that it seems more natural to return the control. One person
found that velcro did not work so well - that it didn't last... the 'sticky'
didn' t stay stuck to the machine or the remote... therefore they ended up
with all of the Velcro on the machine or the remote... This only works too,
if the teacher remembers to put the remote back..
2. Lots of people also bar code each remote and check them out to teachers
and/or make the teacher responsible for replacing it if it gets lost.
3. Some people engrave the remote control so that they can tell which TV it
goes to.
4. One school uses fishing line - if the remotes have a ready-made look,
they run one end of fishing line through it and tie a know and then tie the
other end of the line around one of the supports on the carts where the tvs
and vcrs are placed. Not all remotes lend themselves to tying so they are
marked with a metallic Sharpie as to which tv and vcr combo they belong
with. All teachers understand that they are responsible for all equipment
they receive and rarely is anything lost.
5. One person has been thinking about some inexpensive cell phone holders
that they could attach to the cart or cord. They could be colorful enough to
spot whether they have been removed. just a thought.
6. If you get AV catalogues take a look at cable locks. We used these at
the High Schools because our remotes were constantly vanishing. They come
with 2-3 plates, usually 1 small and 2 large and crazy glue. We would put
the small plate somewhere on the remote and the large plate on the DVD/VCR
(this way if we moved the equipment to another cart every
thing moved together). We would put the padlock end on the video player
because it is a little too in the way on the remote. This does do well to
prevent general theft. One drawback though is that the cables are only
about 5 feet long so the teacher can't stand at the back of the
room to FF/Rew/Pause..whatever, they must be close to the TV. These are
links to two of the supply companies that I have used. You may be able to
find something cheaper/closer to home if you surf the net a little bit.
They are also called computer security locks.
http://www.nationalavsupply.com/Product.aspx?FProdID=2358
http://www.avbluebook.com/catalog/raysupply/
7. I don't have any experience about using this in a school setting, but my
husband's grandmother has one of these at home.
http://www.keyringer.com/
It is very effective in a home situation, but not sure of the range (ie
whether it would locate a remote on the second floor of a school building if
you were in the library on the first floor). I believe there are a wide
variety of similar contraptions.
8. Highsmith has an item called cord-a-keep that I have found useful for
tethering remotes to equipment. It has a sticky pad to attach to the VCR
with a coiled cord and a sticky pad to attach to the remote.It can be
cumbersome, but it sure has eliminated lost remotes.
9. Use paint pens to label everything.
10. Use counter pens - the kind with the chain that has a sticky end the
attaches to a counter. It takes two per piece of equipment. I gave all the
pen ends to the office and just used the sticky ends. I attached one sticky
end to the TV or VCR and another sticky end to the remote (careful not to
cover the battery access). With the two ends connected together you have a
chain about 3 feet long - plenty of room to work with. I haven't lost a
remote since!
Hope these ideas help others in similar situations!!
Have a good weekend!
Ilana Locker
Librarian
Colegio Internacional de Caracas
Caracas, Venezuela
lockeri@ciccaracas.com.ve
http://www.ciccaracas.com.ve/elementarylibrary/
http://www.ciccaracas.com.ve/secondarylibrary/
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