Printing Charges FAQ

Who is charging for printing?

All Northwestern University libraries, including printing in public areas and in all labs and classrooms managed by the libraries.

How much does printing cost?

NU Users

Two-sided (duplex) black and white prints - 6 cents per side = 12 cents per sheet.

One-sided (simplex) black and white prints - 7 cents per side/sheet.

Color prints - 25 cents per side (previously 75 cents per print!)

Guest NetID Users

Black and white prints - 10 cents per side whether one-sided (simplex) or two-sided (duplex)

Color prints - 25 cents per side

Why charge for printing?

The modest printing charges are intended to encourage responsible printing without placing an undue burden on NU and guest users. It will also ease the financial strain on departments that support printing. The charge will allow for partial cost recovery. Beyond the obvious cost of paper and toner, there is the expense of frequent equipment repair and replacement.

How do these charges compare to other institutions?

The Big Ten:
All but one Big 10 institution charges for printing; most of them chargemore than 6 cents/page.

Chicago Area:
All but 2 Chicago-area academic libraries charge for printing.

Peer Institutions:
Stanford University, University of Chicago, University of Pennsylvania and Washington University all charge for printing.

Public Libraries:
Most public libraries in the area charge 10 cents or more per page. Evanston Public Library charges 20 cents a page for black and white and 50 cents a page for color.

What are my alternatives to printing at library computers?

You can e-mail attachments and search results to yourself or copy them onto portable media such as a USB flash drive or a CD/DVD. You can then print them on your own printer.