University of Pennsylvania's Program to Bridge the Digital Divide
A Guide to Computer Refurbishment
Our computer refurbishment center was developed from the senior engineering project of now – Penn alumna David Park, entitled “Building a Community-University Technology Hub.” David’s original question dealt with the method Penn used to dispose of its outdated equipment. As students, we see the new computers replace those that were purchased 3 or 4 years prior. He asked where those computers were going and found that Penn tended to keep equipment stored away where no one was using it. The computers were all functioning but replaced to meet the University’s technology standards. David’s idea was to incorporate the University’s older technology in to the community. The computers could make a difference in the community that they were not making locked away in a basement. Now we have distributed over 500 computers to the West Philadelphia community since April 2000.
This web page is intended to be a guide so that other programs can replicate something of this magnitude on their campus. The basic issues covered are: attaining donations, equipment necessary to run a computer refurbishment center, the process of preparing a computer to go out into the community, distribution of the computer and supporting the computer once it is out in the community.
Attaining Computers
We have learned that the best way to gain computer donations is to visit our donors personally. A face to face connection with our donors is important to convey their value in the refurbishment process. We give them a flyer and a letter that details the process of donating a computer and what happens once we get our hands on it. Because of such persistent methods, we have gained donations from the Library, the Nursing School, and medical research labs on campus. Most of the departments on campus are looking for way s to dispose of their older equipment and our program provides a valid alternative to just throwing away the equipment or recycling it. Word of mouth is always wonderful as well. Within departments, this is probably the best method.
Equipment Necessary
Once you have the computers, the next step is testing functionality. Often times computers that are donated are not functioning properly. Memory might have been removed, there might be bad sectors on the hard drive, or the video card might have died. In order to maintain a functioning refurbishment center, your “shop” should have equipment to deal with, at least, the most common computer problems. A supply of RAM, video cards, sound cards, Ethernet cards, modems, floppy drives, CD-ROM’s, IDE cables, power cords, Ethernet cables, keyboards, and mice is necessary in order to ascertain the problem and then fix it. This also allows us to upgrade a system by making it faster, making it Internet-capable, or adding a CD-ROM. We are quite lucky at our shop. People have donated printers and speakers. Creative gave us sound cards. Basically, you are only limited by other people’s generosity and your own willingness to search out and find donors.
In order to be able to add and remove hardware, you are going to need tools. Screwdrivers, tweezers, flashlights – the main tool is really the screwdriver. The only real way to know what you need to refurbish a computer is to sit down and do it. We have tool kits and such but the most useful tool we have is a convertible screwdriver that has several heads in one.
Licenses and software are also very necessary. Attaining licenses has become pretty difficult recently. The operating system for the computer will probably be the most expensive thing that you have to purchase. Sometimes people do donate their disks and such, or you can use Linux, but generally you will have to purchase licenses for Windows. Other software, such as word processors, anti-virus programs and Internet explorer can be downloaded from the Internet. We currently use Star-Office and AVG anti-virus.
Processing Computers
Our preparation process for a PC is as follows:
We inventory the machine so we can track it in our database.
We wipe any existing information off the machine. This is due to privacy issues, we have received computers that have medical records and other university information. People are more willing to donate computers when they know that the information will be wiped off the hard drive.
We then install any necessary hardware
We install the proper OS and software, including a word processor, a virus protector, Internet explorer and any other necessary software .
We test the CPU with peripherals .
Complete
inventory sheet.
So now we have a computer that is ready to go in to the community. How do you place it? The distribution of our computers is tied in to other programs under the Center for Community Partnerships. We hold a monthly meeting during which we discuss recently placed requests, any assessments and new requests. The committee is currently composed of:
Site Supervisor:
Cory Bowman
Americorps Members: Meagan Drucker, Amy Galabinski, and Tania Colón
Winnie Smart-Mapp, Erica Gelser and Reverend Rodney Rogers from the Program
in Universities, Communities of Faith, Schools and Neighborhood Organizations,
also know as PUCFSN.
Isabel Sampson-Mapp of Penn Volunteers in Public Service
Seth Brown, our Computer Refurbishment Center Coordinator
Each person helps to bring a different perspective to the table and allows for diversity in where the computers go. The varied group also helps to maintain the focus of the committee. We want to make sure that the computers we place will be used and with the varied personalities we attack many different topics.
Before you even get this far, you need requests. Our initial requests came from organizations that had worked with the Center for Community Partnerships in the past. The group, such as PUCFSN, that had previously worked with the organization informed them of our program. They would then write up a request for computers that detailed their intentions. They would tell us what type of classes they would be offering and to whom, open lab times, etc. We have also devised a survey that allows us to see what the lab will be used for and that also forces the person taking the survey to thing about maintenance and staffing. Word of mouth has spread now and we are getting more requests without having to actively search for sites.
Computers are distributed in a few different fashions. More often than not they are picked up by the organization from the shop. At a later date, we may visit the lab to connect the DSL or test the network. On occasion, we have dropped off computers and completely set up the labs. This type of venture is more feasible during the summer when students are available to work more hours.
Computer Support
Our most recent addition to the shop is our Tech Team. We aim to support the labs we install in the neighborhood and the Tech Team gives us the man power to go into schools, communities of faith, and nonprofit organizations to fix whatever problem they might have. We have cards for the shop with a shop phone number so people can contact the shop directly and relay their problems. We don’t just want to go out into the community and fix everything though. We aim to educate the community on how they can help themselves. We don’t want to just fix the network, but show the people who are around how they can fix it.
Basically, that’s our shop. We are currently trying to consider what we can do with technology that becomes outmoded. Whether recycling and replacing the current systems is feasible and what would be the most cost effective solution.