Use one of the many public-access computers in the Library. Or bring your laptop and connect to the campus network via wired or wireless access.
Library computers
The Library has over 200 public-access computers available across its locations. Your use of these computers is subject to the Guidelines on use of Waterloo Computing and Network Resources.
Software available
- Adobe Reader
- ArcGIS (public computers in GeoSpatial Centre located in the Dana Porter Library, 3rd floor, room 328, the Computer Lab (LIB 329), and the sit down public computers on third floor in the Dana Porter Library
- Beyond 2020
- Browsers (Firefox and Internet Explorer)
- DataStream Advance
- Ghostscript
- GIMP 2.8
- Irfan View
- Kurzweil 3000
- Microsoft Office 2016 (Word, Excel, OneNote, PowerPoint, Publisher, and Access)
- Refworks Write-N-Cite
- Secure Shell (SSH) Telnet client - Putty
- Specialty viewers and plugins
- Xnews news reader
Save your work
Save your work regularly to a memory stick (USB storage device) or email it to yourself. Documents saved on library’s public computers are lost when:
- Power is lost
- The computer is turned off or restarted
- If working windows are inactive for 15 minutes (windows will close without saving)
Guard your privacy
- Close your work before you leave
- Delete it with Shift + Delete: Holding the shift key down while deleting ensures that no one can recover your work from the recycle bin
Laptop computing
Current students, staff, and faculty can connect their laptops to the Internet via either wired or wireless connections.
Wired connection
You can use your own ethernet cable or borrow one from the library Circulation desk to connect your laptop at one of the the following locations:
Dana Porter Library
- Floor one: along the “red wall” slightly above floor level and on pillars at the tables in the centre of the room
- Floor two: all study tables, the group study booth and the laptop counter along the windows near Browsers
- Floor six: LIB 608 study room
- Floor seven: LIB 708 study room
- Floor eight: LIB 808 study room
- Floor nine: LIB 908 study room
- Floor ten: LIB 1008 and LIB 1016 study rooms
Davis Centre Library
- Carrels in the southwest corner (at the windows across from the Centre for Environment, Innovation and Technology (CEIT) building)
- Access receptacles are in a track on the floor beside the windows
Wireless connection
Student, faculty, and staff
Waterloo Identity and Access Management (WatIAM) credentials are required to authenticate to the wireless network.
- Select eduroam from the list of available wi-fi networks
- When asked for a userid and password enter your full userid@uwaterloo.ca and your WatIAM password
Visitors from other educational institutions
- Institution must participate in eduroam
- Use your home-institution user name and password
Guests
Long-term visitors to the University of Waterloo (visiting scholars, postdoctoral fellows, students in joint programs, etc.) should request user name and password from Information Systems and Technology (IST)
If you are experiencing difficulty using the campus wireless service, please check the IST troubleshooting resources.
Technical support
- Technical support at the Davis Centre and Dana Porter libraries
- IST Service Desk
- Faculty service desks
