6/1/2023 0 Comments Griffin multidock![]() The process can seem daunting, but it is a very well-thought-out approach to the extensive available customizations.Īpple Configurator and iTunes work together to help you manage apps, allowing you to specify which apps go on which iPads and thereby customize iPads for different people or different purposes. When I set up the product at my library, the support team explained all options thoroughly and made recommendations based on our setting and intended usage. To assist with customization, Macprofessionals provides a Readiness Survey, a five-page set of questions explaining restrictions you can place and settings you can configure, as well as questions about installing and managing apps. The Macprofessionals solution can be highly customized. Macprofessionals will set up the products for you, train you on how to operate the system, and provide ongoing support-services that will be especially useful for small libraries and/or those with limited in-house technology expertise. ![]() A thirty-hour support contract is included in the initial agreement. Prices for these vary depending on the number of hours purchased. You will also need to select a service contract. For hardware and cases, Macprofessionals passes on the actual cost of the devices without a surcharge. You can also purchase cases and laser engraving to help keep the devices safe. ![]() Macprofessionals offers full-sized iPads and iPad Minis, each with various memory options, and can create customized solutions to meet individual library needs. In addition, up to three Multidocks can be controlled using a single Mac Mini, allowing you to manage up to thirty devices with one Mac. This setup allows you to lock, charge, and configure up to ten iPads per Multidock. The Macprofessionals solution uses a Griffin Multidock connected to a Mac Mini running Apple Configurator. It can work well in any library that wishes to circulate iPads.Īfter you have selected the Macprofessionals solution, one of your first tasks is to decide exactly what to purchase. ![]() Despite the name, this product is not just for public libraries. This reviewer is aware of only one vendor offering a full-service solution for libraries wishing to circulate tablets: Macprofessionals, which offers a product called the Public Library iPad Checkout Solution. Turnkey solutions for circulating tablets are a new area in the library automation market, so choices are somewhat limited. In such cases, a vendor solution may be the best option. Performing these tasks in-house requires significant staff time as well as technical experience, both of which may be very limited in smaller libraries. To manage tablets for checkout, you have to select, purchase, and install apps delete unwanted content after each use reinstall apps that patrons may have deleted and correct other issues that may arise. The next major consideration is the time and expertise required to manage the devices. Finally, a number of tablets could be designated for staff use in roaming reference, thereby extending the library's reach beyond offices and service desks. Many database and journal vendors are creating mobile apps for easy access to online content, making a tablet a portable research tool. They could take notes, use some of the many available medical apps, create presentations, or use video calling to communicate with remote members of study or project groups. To make these determinations, consider what your users might want to do with tablets. If that includes your library, the first thing to consider is whether circulating tablets makes sense for your library and its users and, if so, which device best meets your needs. As a result, more and more libraries are considering purchasing and circulating tablets. These devices are portable, fun, productive, and, in many cases, cheaper than full computers-and they are often highly desired by library users. Portable devices have become a hot topic lately with Apple, Google, and Microsoft all creating mobile operating systems for tablets.
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