Overview

Every computer lab environment and patron use pattern is different, so you need options when contemplating how to best manage a contention situation in your lab. You need to free your staff while treating patrons equitably. CASSIE offers both computer reservations and waiting lists (queues) to satisfy these varying needs. You may use both modes, even within the same branch/site allowing maximum flexibility and peak patron service.

Reservations

If you need to offer a session at a specific time, on a specific day, the reservation mode is the best choice. Special use stations like geneaology or 3-D printer stations are often good candidates for this style of access. You may limit the number of days in advance that reservations may be made, and your operating hours and closures are taken into account when calculating the session time slot that is offered. Patrons may make/cancel a scheduled reservation from any self-service kiosk or through the Web, and staff may do so from any staff station. When the session start time arrives, a reservation is held for a configurable period of time before the station is made available for use by another patron.

Waiting Lists

If your staff are using clipboards to keep track of who has been on the computer the longest, so that they can assign the next waiting patron to a computer, the waiting list style is the right choice for you. Patrons register at a self-service kiosk or through the Web, and may monitor their status using a display monitor that you have provided, or using a paging system that is operated by CASSIE. The system will intelligently extend sessions until a waiting list forms, at which time the users in the waiting list will be assigned to computers. If a patron does not show up to start their session within a configurable period of time, the session is forfeited and the next patron in the list is assigned.

Multi-Station Reservations

CASSIE can handle classes or seminars, including recurring ones, where your staff need to select and reserve a block of computers in a single operation. These multi-station reservations allow for an easy session start for attendees, using the credential that is provided by the instructor. Multi-station reservations may be made outside of the defined operating hours (e.g. for night classes) and may be made in groups that are configured for reservations or waiting lists.