Article - PaperCut - Public Printing

Summary

The PaperCut Print System is currently in use in the public computing labs and libraries across the KU campus. PaperCut is directly tied into the KU Card system and uses computer authentication to identify who is printing. When a student logs into a computer in these locations using their KU Online ID and password, they are able to print using funds in the Beak 'Em Bucks account on the KU Card. Due to this, it is imperative that students log off computers when they leave, so that other students do not use their accounts to print.

Printing from Canvas

IT suggests that when printing documents from Canvas courses, to right-click on the documents link and save the document to the computer desktop. Then double-click the document on the desktop, and open the document in the application that it was originally created in. If you open a document from Canvas by clicking the link, it will normally attempt to load inside of the web browser window. This creates formatting problems when trying to print from the web browser. To alleviate any printing problems, please save and open outside of the web browser.

Printing Information

Printing in the public computing areas costs $0.08 per page (black and white) or $0.48 (color). Currently enrolled undergraduate students at KU are supplied with $8.00 worth of free printing, however once that used, you will need to have money on your KU Card before you can print. Below you will find instructions on how to print, as well as steps to adding money to your KU Card. We suggest that you recharge your KU Card with enough money for printing so that you will not have to recharge your card multiple times throughout the semester.

Windows Printing

When you authenticate to a Windows based computer, you will immediately notice a small windows that appears in the top right corner of the screen. The window shows the current amount of funds that are available to you in your free printing or Beak 'Em Bucks account.
Begin printing your document by clicking File and Print.
When the Print windows opens, select which printer you would like to send your documents to, and click Print. (A default printer should be identified depending on what location you are currently in).
A second windows will now open, listing the document, name, the printer you selected, the number of pages and a total cost for printing the document.
If this information is correct, press the Print button to release your documents to the printer.

If you do not have the proper amount of funds on your KU Card, a notice will appear indicating that you do not have enough funds to process the request.Once you send the document to print, go to the printer you selected, and collect your material.

The KU Libraries (Anschutz and Watson) have special Express Printing stations for walk-up printing. These machines are already authenticated for quick use. When printing from these stations, a window will open asking for your Online ID and Password before the transaction will be processed.

Mac Printing

Mac printing is very similar to Windows printing, with one additional step for authentication.

When you authenticate to a Mac based computer, you immediately will notice a small window that appears in the top-right corner of the screen. This windows shows the current amount of funds that are available to you in your free printing or Beak 'Em Bucks account.
Begin printer you documents by clicking File and Print.
When you the print window opens, select which printer you would like to send your documents to, and click Print (a default printer should be identified depending on what location you are currently in).
At this point, a small window will open asking for authentication and will have you name already listed as the current user.
Delete your name from the box, and enter your KU Online ID and Password, click Okay.
A third window will now open, listing the document name, the printer you selected, the number of pages and a total cost for printing the document.
If this information is correct, press the Print button to release your document to the printer.

If you do not have the proper amount of funds on your KU Card, a notice will appear indicating that you do not have enough funds to process the request. Once you send the document to print, go to the printer you selected, and collect your material.

Recharge Your KU Card

To add money to your KU card for printing, you can either use the cash-to-card machines in Anschutz Library or the Kansas Union, or you can add money to it through myKU.

For more detailed instructions reference the related article PaperCut - Printing Funds.

Article Changelog

1/24/2026

Article updated to basic visual standard.

Updating...

PaperCut - Public Printing