From the Chronicle of Higher Education, here’s an interesting idea: the University of North Texas is using Facebook to post lists of lost-and-found items. Facebook users at the university can join a group and see these lists.
UNT has partnered with a for-profit service called Trace.com, which in turn is part of another web service called MyThings.
I’m more familiar with another service called StuffBak, which sells adhesive labels imprinted with serial numbers. Users apply a sticker to an item, and then complete a registration form on the company’s web site. I wrote a brief article back on 20 September 2006 about the service.
An online inventory
MyThings has a broader set of features, including document archiving for receipts and invoices, as well as a database of manuals and documentation for products. It makes sense for universities to offer product registration and recovery services to students, who often bring high-value electronic devices to campus each day.
Linking the service to a popular social network may spur students to try an online registration and inventory service. Over time, campus police departments can use these services as another tool to manage and reduce theft on campus. Theft is one item that US universities must report to the US Deaprtment of Education each year, as required of the Clery Act and discussed at Security on Campus.
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