New online tool assists exchange of University property between departments
Purdue University Warehouse and Surplus, operated by Materials Management and Distribution Services, now has a new website that includes a feature designed to streamline the exchange between departments of University property such as furniture, lab equipment, and vehicles. The website, www.purdue.edu/surplus, is up and running.
The feature, Billboard, operates much like the public domain Craigslist, with listings of Purdue-owned items that are available for free or purchase and those that are wanted. Recently posted items included a copier, spot welder, cloth bulletin boards and a choral riser.
The site, which includes listings from regional campuses, is designed to streamline the mandatory 14-day period during which University goods must be offered for internal campus use before being sent on to the warehouse for public sale. It will centralize transactions that in the past have taken place on a more casual basis -- from department to department or by word of mouth.
Users must have a Purdue career account and password to sign on and access listings, post items, or add to the "want" list. They must also have a form -- available on the site -- indicating departmental approval.
The new feature is one of Purdue Materials Management and Distribution's (MMAD) ongoing efforts to extend the life of the University's capital and enhance sustainability. It will also help MMAD track where equipment goes and determine how much has been reused rather than dumped in a landfill.
"The goal was to fulfill an effort to extend the life of items that are no longer needed by departments," says Mike Wilkins, director of MMAD. "We want to be a better custodian of the taxpayers' dollars by refurbishing equipment and furniture and keeping better track of what we have been successful in sustaining."
The site was developed with Property Accounting, Printing Services, the Technical Assistance Program, ITAP, Administrative Computing, Purdue's Business Office and the Business Office of Engagement.
"It was a great team effort and goes to show you what can be done when everyone works so well together," Wilkins says.
The University Warehouse and Surplus operation is open to the public from noon to 4 p.m Monday-Friday. It is located in Lafayette in the INOK Building, 3601 Sagamore Parkway N., Suite K. For information, call 742-4414 or e-mail warehouse@purdue.edu.
