Use of Desktop Computers at the California Institute of Technology Libraries

Student access to desktop computers is still important in today’s age of portable electronic and mobile devices. This paper will examine a sample of student usage of desktop computers in a small university library. Survey results indicated that students do find having access to desktop computers is still relevant for their research and personal needs. This paper will show that library administration should continue to invest in desktop computers for student use, despite the common belief that notebooks, laptops, and mobile devices have overshadowed the need.