It's a common problem at most large universities, no matter how wired or technologically advanced. During peak times or finals week, spots in campus computer labs become a precious commodity. Students may be hesitant to seek out other labs for fear of losing their place in line in the first location, leading to additional overcrowding and frustrating waits for students eager to complete class projects.

Now, thanks to a new Internet-based system, students at DePaul University no longer will have to play the computer lab waiting game. A real-time, online lab utilization report, available 24 hours through the university's home page, shows students the current occupancy levels in the labs. To determine which lab to use, students can check the site from their homes or offices before venturing out to campus. If they arrive at a lab that has filled during their trip, the lab technician can use the system to locate another lab nearby with a vacancy.

The system, developed by a team of programmers and designers in DePaul's Information Services division and believed to be the first of its kind in the nation, currently covers the eight largest computer labs and 517 computer terminals on the Lincoln Park and Loop campuses, more than half of the available community computers at DePaul. Taking their inspiration from airline Web sites that allow passengers to select their tickets with a live seating chart, the site includes maps of each lab's layout and real-time graphics to indicate the specific terminals that are occupied, available or out of service for repairs at a given moment. Wireless and laptop access areas also are noted on the system.

"During peak hours, there is a space crunch in some of our campus computer labs," said Joe Cummings, managing director for Information Services at DePaul. "However, this new system provides students with the ability to find an available terminal in the Loop or Lincoln Park campuses quickly, minimizing wait times and maximizing time spent studying and completing class projects."

In upcoming quarters, the system will include computer labs at DePaul's suburban campuses, as well as terminals in PC-equipped classrooms and residence hall study lounges. Additionally, each computer lab eventually will have a dedicated display screen with the system for checking availability at other labs

The lab utilization site can be found at: http://labs.is.depaul.edu/labs.aspx.

With a total enrollment of 23,570 students on two city and five suburban campuses, DePaul is the eighth-largest private university in the United States and the largest Catholic university in the nation. DePaul is an innovative and diverse university offering pragmatic educational programs that instill values, including a commitment to community service.