OLPCorps MIT Loaner Library

Welcome! This page is dedicated to the new XO Loaner Library which was just established at MIT. This library has been established primarily for the use of OLPCorps teams in the greater Boston area, so that they can have access to the XOs prior to deployment. Each team will receive 100 of these laptops from OLPC as part of the OLPCorps grant, but those 100 will be shipped directly to the deployment site. The goal of this library is to allow teams access to the laptops so members can start to learn how to use them and be better prepared to educate others on their use. Sound interesting? Ready to borrow one? Here's how:

Who's Eligible?

For the time being, laptop loans will be limited to 2 laptops per team and will only be handed out to approved OLPCorps teams. However! If you are not an OLPCorps team but are working on a different project with the XO in the Boston area and would be interested in borrowing a laptop, you should let us know you are interested and we will see if we have an extra laptop you can use. Of course, teams going to Africa will be given first choice.

Rental Period

Loans will be for 2 weeks to start. After 2 weeks, if no one is in need your laptops and you wish to keep them, your rental may be renewed for another 2 weeks.

Obtaining Laptops

So, if you are a interested in renting a laptop, here's what you have to do:

• Email xoloans at mit.edu with:
  • Your name
  • Your team/organization
  • Number of laptops requested
  • Reason for rental
  • Contact information and preferred times of pickup
• You will receive a response indicating if you've been approved and where/when you will be able to pick up your laptop. The library will be physically located at MIT, so expect pickup/dropoff to be near MIT in Cambridge.
• When you arrive to pickup your laptops, you will be asked to sign for them, indicating that you take responsibility for the laptops and agree to return the laptops by the specified time.

Note

Since we ourselves hope to be traveling to Africa as a OPLCorps team, there are currently no plans to administer the loans over the summer. So all laptops will need to be returned by the end of May. The library may or may not reopen in September, we'll let you know as we get closer to that date.

Comments or suggestions? Email us at xoloans at mit.edu