The Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations is the membership organisation for Scotland's charities, voluntary organisations and social enterprises. Charity registered in Scotland SC003558. Registered office Caledonian Exchange, 19A Canning Street, Edinburgh EH3 8EG.
Devices
Connecting Scotland lending library projects reported different preferences. Tablets were often said to be more popular with children and people with low skill and confidence levels, likely because they are easier to handle and seem more familiar due to their similarity to smartphones. Tablets were also preferred by people with disabilities due to their easy accessibility features. Laptops and Chromebooks were said to be more popular with people who required devices to meet employability or education needs, for example for completing assignments, applying for jobs and filling in forms.
Choosing which devices are most likely to be useful to the maximum number of people that wish to use the lending scheme can be a challenge. Ideally, you will be able to offer more than one type of device including both a laptop and a tablet format so that your service users can choose what they feel most comfortable with or what best suits their immediate need. If you provide multiple options, a quick needs assessment or checklist completed with the borrower can help you both decide which device is right for them.
There are pros and cons to each type of device, so consider carefully what you can afford and what is within your ability to easily reset and maintain in-between loans. Look out for user accounts or passwords that may need to be set up to access a device - they can be difficult to unlock if the last borrower has not deleted them. If other initiatives run in your area, why not get in contact and ask what they found was most beneficial for their own programme.
Remember, if you've talked to your service users they will have given you an idea of the types of tasks they want to be able to carry out, and your staff will know what they've been asked about the most. Don't discount the knowledge you already have - if you start small you can expand as your experience grows.
If you are working with a small budget, consider buying refurbished devices as these are likely to cost less and are also a much greener option.
Finally, make sure that those who will be responsible for the devices have some existing knowledge of them or are willing to learn about them. There are plenty of online resources that can help you navigate setting up and customising accessibility on various kinds of devices, and it's helpful to have these already to hand before you start handing out kit.
Looking after your devices
Most laptops and tablets have a lifespan of 4-5 years, and regular maintenance and software updates will ensure that they last as long as they can. Some lending projects have experienced challenges with fast-degrading laptop battery performance, which can be caused by overcharging (e.g. storing laptops in charging stations inbetween loans) or by keeping them fully discharged for long periods.
Whilst a gradual drop in battery performance is normal over time, you (and your users) can follow some simple rules to prevent this from happening too soon or too quickly:
Usage and Charging
- Keep battery between 20% and 80% charge when possible
- Avoid full discharges and overcharging
- Use the original charger to prevent voltage mismatch
Maintenance
- Calibrate battery every few months: Fully charge → fully discharge → recharge to 100%