Cyber second hand store 'saves materials, money'

Chris Richards Arizona Daily Wildcat Jean Nielsen, the organizer of the University of Arizona Resource Exchange's new online second hand store, peeks around a pile of paper in her office. The site makes available furniture and other items to different departments in order to save money.

The project is an online system called the University of Arizona Resource Exchange.

UARE is a free program "designed to compliment business efficiency and resource management," said Jean Nielsen, the program's organizer.

The program essentially operates as an online rummage sale for university departments.

Departments can post their needs and available items and the use the bulletin board to communicate.

The program has already saved the university $600 in materials that would have been purchased again, Nielsen said.

They had a start up cost of $2,500 including pay for Nielsen and money to publicize the bulletin board.

Nielsen feels the program will eventually pay for itself.

UARE can be used for anything but hazardous materials, even paper clips, Nielsen said.

For each item posted, the department must include a complete description of the item, the number of items available (or needed), as well as a contact person and phone number. If a department finds an item they are in need of, they notify the contact person to set up an exchange.

Once an item is posted there is a 30-day grace period in which it stays on the list. After 30 days the item is removed. Nielsen asked once a department makes a successful exchange that they note it on the list. This allows her to keep track of how well the program is working.

The types of items found on UARE range from basic office supplies including pens, file folders and envelopes to bigger items such as filing cabinets. Nielsen said there have been hundreds of hits in the past three months.

Nielsen said departments often make huge orders that do not get used- UARE saves them from the garbage can.

"Each department looks maybe once a day or once a week," she said.

Not only will this program help to save materials, it will also save money.

"Since state moneys have already bought the materials they need to stay within the state. We are saving on pollution prevention, virgin materials and landfill costs," Nielsen said.

The response to the program has been favorable.

Megan Doughty, administrative assistant for the geosciences department, likes the convenience of the program.

"I think it's a good thing. It's not something where you have to leave the office, you can do it from your desk," Doughty said.

Mark Brewer, laboratory facilities/supplies supervisor for ecology and evolutionary biology, also thought the program was beneficial.

"It seems like a good idea, I'm all for it," Brewer said.

He plans to list specimen jars and an incubator on the available list and is also looking for chairs and bookcases which he plans to post on the list.

In order for a department to become part of UARE they must register online through the Caucus system. This requires all users to register their user ID and password in order to log on. The entire process takes about 15 minutes. Nielsen said this is necessary to ensure the program is used only by the departments. So far, 60 of the 600 departments on campus use UARE.

Nielsen has high hopes for the future of the program.

"I would like to see more than half of our departments participate in materials wanted and I would like to see the numbers grow each month. We want to have a definite showing of economic savings," Nielsen said.

In the future there will be programs similar to UARE at Arizona State University and Northern Arizona University. Nielsen is currently working with the other universities to help them develop their own programs with hers as the model.