PaperlessUndergrad: The Blog!

My university starting to offer retail e-books

I got an interesting memo from my university library today. For the first time ever they are beginning to offer us the opportunity to buy electronic versions of books:

We are able to offer a time limited opportunity to acquire in perpetuity a range of top selling titles in electronic format all at prices well below the price of the print equivalent.

Unfortunately this offer is only available on a very limited number of books, none of which are of use to me, but at least it's a step in the right paperless direction. Well down St. Andrews you deserve a coveted paperless Pat on the Back!

Paperless Pat on the Back – BlueGreenPlanet.org

It gives me great pleasure in presenting my latest Paperless Pat on the Back award to e-card website BlueGreenPlanet.org for providing a paperless e-card service in an atmosphere and surroundings that are positively different from that found at the myriad of other e-card websites in existence.

 

Yay Paperless Billing at British Gas

For recently introducing an option for customers to receive paperless bills ONLY, British Gas are the latest to receive a Paperless Pat on the Back. Not only are they to be applauded for focussing on reducing paper use but they're even encouraging people to sign up by offering paperless billing customers an annual £5 reduction on their gas bills (terms and conditions do apply)

 So if you’re a British Gas customer and you want to reduce the paper flowhitting your house (just think one less bill on the doormat :o) ) and also get the benefit of a one-stop portal for managing your gas bills then get yourself along to >>>HERE<<< and sign up.  

Good on you British Gas!

(Do you know anyone (either individual or company) who deserves a Paperless Pat on the Back? Let me know so I can share it with the world and give the recipient the recognition they rightly deserve).

Way to go SAAS!!

The latest recipient of a Paperless Pat on the Back is the Student Awards Agency for Scotland (SAAS) 

When I first started applying for grants and loans through the SAAS in 1999 (while doing my HND at Falkirk College (now called Forth Valley) the only option for completing an application to the SAAS was through a tome-like paper application form. Things seemed to improve slightly during my first degree, at Napier University, when the option was added to allow applications to be completed online via the SAAS website. However this option had one fundamental flaw – after completing your online application you had to print the whole lot off before sending it. Yep that’s right although you were able to complete the entire application process online, you still had to print the whole lot off (and we’re talking 20+ A4 sheets here). How crazy was that??

Well thankfully the SAAS has seen the light (that’ll be the light of realisation then) and from now, for the first time ever you can complete the entire process online. I’ve just completed my application for 2006/2007 entirely online and everything progressed perfectly. Because of the SAAS’s move towards electronic applications (without that crazy need to submit a hard paper copy) they get a Paperless Pat on the Back…Well done guys!!

NOTE: If you are resident in Scotland and intend to apply for fees, loans etc. then please investigate the option of applying online. Sadly the ‘tome-like’ paper application forms are still in existence but you CAN resist their evil draw and perform the whole process paperlessly. By doing so I’m sure you’ll find it easier (particularly if you’ve applied via the website before as your details are all pre-loaded) 

Mediaeval History Dept. impress me again

A couple days ago (well two weeks ago to be exact...doesn't time fly and all that) I gave a 'pat on the back' to the Mediaeval History Dept at my university (St. Andrews) for taking a step towards being paperless. Well they've gone and impressed me again. This time they have given all the Mediaeval students the gift of access to Medieval Sourcesonline (you can look but sorry guys you've got to have a subscription in order to touch...I love to tease :o) ). Well the real gift actually comes courtesy of the efforts of Manchester University Press. It's refreshing to see a major publisher embracing electronic delivery.Thanks Guys!!.....now if we can only convince all the others to do it too.    

A Step in the paperless direction

I'm pleased to say that the Mediaeval History Dept. at my university appear to have taken a step closer to being paperfree this semester. Formerly a Dept. who handed out reams of paper handouts during lectures, they are now, at least with my module (my module co-ordinator has confirmed this is happening in all 1000 and 2000 level modules), delivering their lecture notes electronically via WebCT...yaaayyyy!!

What the ?"$£ is a Paperless Pat on the Back?!?

Sounding grander than it probably is a Paperless Pat on the Back is nothing more than a honourable mention on my humble blog which is accompanied by the Paperless Pat on the Back logo.

I award one when  I discover (or am told about) a company, individual etc. who has made a conscious step towards being paperless or promoting paperless operation. Examples could include something simple like an individual ditching their paper Filofax in favour of a PDA to the more grand things like a company discontinuing paper product catologues in favour of online electronic ones. It could be a website offering a paperless service to an organisation promoting less paper use. 

Sadly there's no monetary reward involved (as time progresses maybe I will be able to build of pool of small handouts and tokens of gestures I can distribute to individuals) and the only prize is my heart felt gratitude at doing something positive, an award logo to post on your own website if you want one (contact me if are a recipient of the award and to want an award graphic),  and a bit of free promotion.