Although many Barnard students prefer the convenience of owning their own computers, bringing a computer to Barnard is not required or necessary. Barnard maintains a number of computer labs on campus and in select residence halls where Barnard students may find PCs, Macintosh computers, printers, scanners, and more. Hours of operation vary depending on the location, but several labs remain open for use 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

>Barnard does not require the purchase of a specific brand of computer. However, for purchasing guidance and special discounts we recommend the Dell Buying Program. The Apple Education Store also offers discounts on Apple products for Columbia and Barnard students.

>Students are not required to have their own printers. Computer labs are equipped with printers set up within the University NINJa system. Students may print to any NINJa printer from a personal computer anywhere on the Columbia campus network, including residence halls using their weekly print quota.

>There are several ways in which a student may find computer support at Barnard. Residential Computing Assitants provide support seven days a week, with lab support available in at least two locations. Students may phone in questions during Office Hours, or contact Resnet in an assortment of ways.

>No software is required for students' personal computers. However, students will need a word processing program, and depending on the individual students' academic needs she may require or prefer a software suite that provides standard word processing, spreadsheet building, etc. Students are expected to protect their computers against viruses. Barnard provides free access to Symantec antivirus software and a handful of other helpful programs. To download these programs, visit our downloads page.