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Computing HelpDesk

Mon -Thu: 8:00am -9:00 pm
Friday: 8:00am - 5:00pm
Saturday: Closed
Sunday: 3:00pm - 9:00pm

(when classes are in session)

Exceptions for the summer and academic year


PAY FOR PRINT

Laser printing facilities are provided in many computer labs and in the Carrier and Rose Libraries.  Documents may be submitted from most lab or library computers as well as wirelessly from a personal laptop computer. Once a document is submitted, the user visits a release station terminal located near the printers, swipes her/his JACard and selects the document to be printed from a list of waiting (queued) documents.  Funds are deducted from the JACard to pay for the printout.  Users may add funds to their JACard at select campus locations and on-line. For more JACard information, visit the Card Services site.

Duplex (two-sided) printing support

Duplex printing is available at a reduced price in the Libraries and is the default in most computer lab locations.

Wireless/remote printing

Wireless and remote access to color and black & white printers is available from any computer on the JMU campus network through a wired or wireless connection.   Simply print to one of the LabPrint queues from your laptop, and retrieve your document from any print release station!

Frequently Asked Questions

Why charge for printing?

The primary reason to charge for printing is to promote environmental and resource sustainability.  Over two million pages were printed in the IT computing labs during the year prior to implementing a pay-for-print system.  Most of those pages were simply abandoned and had to be destroyed or recycled.  This was wasteful, both environmentally and monetarily.  With pay-for-print, approximately 800,000 pages per year are printed from IT computing labs, and the abandonment rate is insignificant. 

Benefits of pay-for-print include:

  • Reduced excess printing and paper waste
  • Printing revenues help to fund more highly reliable, high-speed printers
  • Consistent access to printing campus-wide

Where is printing available?

Printing is available in all IT computing labs, in the Carrier and Rose Library common areas, and from computer labs in the ISAT-CS & Human Services buildings on the East Campus.  Not all locations support color or duplex printing.

Where are color and duplex printing supported?

Color and Duplex printing is available in the Carrier and Rose Libraries and is the default in most IT computing labs.  Visit the labs locations page to learn more about color and duplex availability in the labs.  Users who take advantage of duplex printing will enjoy a two cent per sheet discount!

How much does it cost?


  Single-Side 8.5"x11"
 Duplex* 8.5"x11"
Black & White $0.05 per page/sheet $0.04 per page/side, $0.08 per sheet
Color $0.40 per page/sheet $0.39 per page/side, $0.78 per sheet
* Please note that as an incentive to save paper, there is a two cent duplex discount.

How do I locate a release station and how do I operate it?

Release stations are located adjacent to or in the immediate vicinity of printers.  You will recognize the release station by the distinct appearance of its initial card swipe screen.  You will find a mouse and a card swipe device located at the release station.  Simply swipe your JACard and you will be presented with a list of the waiting documents.  Because it is a public facility, not all listed documents will belong to you.  Find your document in the list and click the "Print" action on that line.  If you take too long to find the document, without moving the mouse, you will be logged off, and you will have to swipe your JACard again.  This is for your protection, to prevent others from "tailgating" and charging their documents to your JACard.  After a very brief wait, your document should be printed to an adjacent or nearby printer.  Your JACard will be charged for the appropriate amount of the document as listed on the print queue screen. 

Be sure to click the "Done" button at the bottom of the screen before you walk away from the release station to prevent others from charging print jobs to your JACard.

Why do my documents not always show at the release station if I wait some time to print them?

Many people submit documents but never release them to the printers.  If those documents remained in the queue indefinitely, the queue would become too large to manage.  Therefore, documents will be automatically removed from the queue if not released/printed after 30 minutes.

How do I get help if I have trouble printing?

In the IT computing labs, instructions for obtaining assistance are posted near the printers.  In the libraries, ask a circulation desk attendant for assistance.  In the ISAT-CS & HHS buildings, contact Technical Support East Campus.