Editor’s Note: An earlier version of this story misstated the technical cause of printing logjams. District technology officials believe updated printers will work more efficiently with the Google ecosystem that supports the large, technology roll-out known as the Digital Learning Initiative.

Due to recent printing backup and other issues, District 203 is updating North’s printers to ease printing problems.

Joe Jaruseski, Director of IT Infrastructure for District 203, said multi-function printers will be put in place around the school to make printing more environmentally-friendly, secure, and smooth.

“We hope they will reduce wasted paper and allow us to print more things faster,” he said.

Multi-function printers present a solution to the printing logjam caused by increased demands on the district network.   These printers can scan, copy, and print, some even in color. In order to print, a student sends their print job to a chosen printer and then must type their school ID number into the touch screen on the printer. There, they select the print job they want, and it will print.

“It wants to make sure you are that person who wants the certain print job,” Jaruseski said. “There’s a security aspect behind it.”

Print jobs will be canceled if not picked up within 24 hours of being sent to the printer. According to Jaruseski, this can prevent a pile-up of papers in printers, and also keep others from reading confidential documents waiting to be picked up. According to Jaruseski, there are no current plans to charge students to use these printers.

Junior Stephanie Teuthorn has not personally experienced any printing problems, but noticed the effect they have had on her teachers and peers before the new printers.

“I have heard many people at the school complain that the printers never work,” she said. “There are many times where students are unable to print their papers at school so my teachers have to print it for them in their offices.”

Junior Emily Schaschwary has had trouble printing assignments for her history class. When she tries the print in the morning, she experiences backup as she waits for a crowd of people to pick up their papers. She hopes the new multi-function printer system will make mornings in the Learning Commons less stressful.

“The problem now is that the printers are so slow, people constantly print to all of them to see which one comes out first,” she said. “The new printer idea would be helpful because you can pick it up in passing periods which would spread out the printing schedule instead of everyone printing at once.”

Jaruseski thinks the new printers will help.

“We hope the changes we’ve made in how we print from Chromebooks will make printing more successful,” Jaruseski said.