Google
already considers its Chromebook a low-cost laptop alternative for the
classroom. Now, the company is taking that a step further, creating a notebook
Lending Library that will provide students free access to a device whenever
they happen to need it.
The
online giant is placing a café-style kiosk at 12 U.S. colleges and universities
for three days in the initial phase of the Lending Library project, which will
run through October. Devices are available at the kiosk on a first-come,
first-served basis and can be kept for the duration of its stay on the campus.
Students will be charged for the devices if they are not returned on time.
“The
Lending Library is a bit like your traditional library, but instead of books,
we’re letting students borrow Chromebooks [no library cards needed],” Lindsay
Rumer of the Chrome marketing team told Digital Trends. “Students can use a
Chromebook during the week for life on campus—whether it’s in class, during an
all-nighter, or browsing the Internet in their dorm.”
The
operating system is cloud-based, allowing students to switch back and forth
between devices with a Google account, username, and password. It also is a way
for students to become more familiar using the Google operating system and
devices and possibly become more dedicated Google customers, according to the
Digital Trends report.
