University students and staff members are now able to use their U Card to do more than just check out books at the library.
Students can now use their U Cards as copy cards at all the University libraries, at the Copies on Campus located at Coffman Memorial Union and at St. Paul Student Center.
The libraries have installed 85 new copy machines that will only take credit-card sized cards, such as the U Card, instead of the currently used smaller CDP copy cards.
University visitors who do not have U Cards can buy Gopher Gold cards, which will allow them to pay for copies in the campus machines. The machines still accept coins.
Copies will cost users 8 cents per copy if they are bought with either a U Card or a Gopher Gold card. Copies bought with coins will cost 10 cents each.
CDP copy card credits can be converted to monetary credits on the new cards. A CDP copy card must be brought to a University library copying service before Nov. 1. Staff will verify the amount of credit on a card and then convert it to money on one of the new cards immediately.
“It is the cutting edge of the card system,” said Jeanette Osier from Wilson Library Photoduplication Services. “No one’s going to lose any money from this.”
The switch to U Card-compatible systems is part of a University-wide effort to place all University transactions on the U Card.
“This is a multi-functional U Card,” said John Neita, senior executive assistant to the U Card program.
He said that 87 copiers on campus will accept either the U Card or a comparable card.
Using computers, the U Card office is keeping track of how much money is placed on each U Card. If a U Card is lost, there is a record of how much money was recorded on it. When users apply for a new card, the U Card office will replace the money on the card.
The U Card office will not track how much money is placed on Gopher Gold cards.
In the next few months, Neita hopes to expand the U Card program to vending machines and laundry facilities.
“The system runs well,” Neita said. “There are many applications for the U Card.”