A week before the fall semester began, the Library staff installed brand new Dell computers in both the main area of the Library and the Learning Resource Center. Staff members and students alike all agreed that it was a good investment, significantly benefiting the students.

Contra Costa College Technology Systems Manager James Eyestone orchestrated the whole process from start to finish, determining exactly how many new computers were needed and making most of the logistical decisions.

Professor of library studies Judy Flum said the computers in the Library are supposed to be replaced every five years, however, the old ones were approximately eleven years old, so the school was long overdue for their upgrade.

“We had to go through an application process and it had been eleven years since we had new computers. Myself, library coordinator Megan Kinney, andlibrary department chairperson Andrew Kuo all brainstormed together and put in the request for the computers, so it was a collective effort between the full-time librarians,” Flum said.

She said that there were exactly 71 computers replaced that added up to $56,512, or approximately $761 per computer.

One big issue, Flum said, is that not all students have computers at home. The staff decided it was time to give the students something decent to use, so they could successfully complete their work while on campus.

She said this was part of their argument for the written statement, requesting the new computers.

“I don’t have a computer at home, so I always stay after class and during lunch to do my homework in the library,” Business Major Jordana Fagundes said. “Having public computers has been very beneficial to me.”

Fagundes said there is a lot of homework that her teachers post on Canvas, so every day she uses the computers to get homework done.

“The computers have significantly improved my success here at CCC,” Fagundes said.

Flum said it seems like students are a lot happier, because the older computers were so much slower.

“Now, they’re a lot faster and students seem to really appreciate that. Even in the classroom it was embarrassing, because teachers would have to wait 10 minutes, just to start up the computers,” Flum said. “It was a barrier when you were trying to show them something, but now it’s a lot easier.”

She said she’s not sure if the new computers brought more students to CCC, in terms of volume, but that the students are definitely happier that everything runs more smoothly now.

The only down side to the Dell computers, although they allow for faster speeds and functionality, is the look on the desktop screen which is identical to the older computers.

This seems to be the reason some students are not aware that they are indeed new computers.

The upgrade has not only helped students, they have also benefited tutors as well.

“These computers are a lot faster than the ones we had last spring and you can do a lot more on them. These have wider screens, which allows me to help people better, because I don’t have to zoom in as much,” Math tutor and applied physics major Daniel Malle said. “When I’m tutoring someone, it doesn’t feel as cramped when on the computer,”

Business major Edwin Delva said, “These computers are definitely better. It feels like going from an iPhone 6 to an iPhone 7, because they’re the same brand, just a lot newer.”