Supplies for the plotters at 79 Elm St are limited. Therefore it is important for everyone to think carefully before sending print jobs to the plotter. Below are some tips for minimizing resource use when plotting.

• Ask yourself if there is another way, such as a PDF file sent via e-mail, to communicate your ideas. Is it really necessary to print out a large scale document?
• Before you print, convert your document to a pdf and proof read it carefully. Office 2007 applications like Word, Excel and PowerPoint and ArcGIS can save documents in pdf format. It is easier to proof a document in pdf format due to the convenient zoom in/zoom out tools.
• Try not to use colors or image backgrounds for your posters or maps. This uses much more ink than if you use a white background.
• If you are unsure how the colors you chose on the screen will print, try sending a block of color swatches instead of a large poster to get the answer.
• Make sure you are printing the document size that you need. Verify all of the printer settings before you press the Print button.
• Do not send your document more than once. If you find that your document has not yet printed, it might be so complex that it takes more time to be prepared by the printer. Check the status readout on the printer itself. If it says "Receiving", then your document WILL be printed eventually. If it says "Ready", then you might need to check the print queue in "Printers and Faxes" from the Windows Start Menu to ensure that it was actually sent to the plotter.
• When sending a document to the printer, if it is not wider than 36 inches, make sure that the long edge prints first as follows:
• Do not allow the short edge to print first, as this will waste paper
• If each of us prints only when necessary we can make our supplies last longer for everyone.