Vanderbilt University Printing Services announced Jan. 16 the launch of a new online print system, designed to more easily accommodate large-scale and custom print orders for students, faculty and staff.

The addition of Digital StoreFront (DSF), an online portal through which users can print custom stationary, graphics or banners, has the potential to improve student interaction with printing services by saving time and increasing efficiency.   

“The purpose [of DSF] is to help streamline and simplify faculty, staff and students’ experiences with printing services,” said Sean Carroll, Director of Business Services Operations. “Historically, students would either walk up to the [Campus Copy] counter or email one of our project coordinators whenever they had a print request. What Digital StoreFront does is bring our software into the 21^st century.”

Public Relations Chair of Gillette House Kate Walsworth said she is excited about this new resource.

“My job as PR chair involves printing many flyers, stickers and other informational materials,” Walsworth said. “This new printing system will allow us to expand the scope of our PR impact with more interactive, large-scale projects that incorporate engaging elements, such as stickers and decals.”

According to Carroll, the simplicity of the online program makes it all the more valuable, as users can upload files, pick their print options, receive a cost estimate and instantly view an electronic proof.

“We think [DSF] will help expose the breadth of our service line to the whole university community, and that’s a win for everybody,” he said.

Another beneficial feature of DSF is that the platform is available to students on their laptops, smartphones or tablets. To utilize this service, students should log onto the Printing Services website, and select “Start Your Order.” Integrated with Vanderbilt single sign-on, users can pay for their jobs with Commodore Cash online and then pick them up at Campus Copy in Rand Dining Center.

“Students are accustomed to instant service with the VUPrint system,” Carroll said. “We hope [DSF] will be just as seamless and just as intuitive, improving their experience with us considerably.”