MTSU students, faculty and staff now have convenient access to a host of top quality printing services with the opening of BLUE print Solutions on the first floor of the Student Union.

The university’s first retail printing center, which held a soft opening in recent weeks, will have a grand opening celebration March 24-26 to officially introduce the state-of-the-art printing capabilities now available to the campus community.

The business’s name — BLUE print Solutions — is quite intentional, said Ed Arning, director of MTSU Printing Services. The services offered go well beyond making copies.

Ed Arning

“The printing center will do more than simply fulfill customer orders,” Arning said. “The idea is to also provide creative solutions for a wide variety of graphic arts projects.”

Much like its commercial counterparts, BLUE print Solutions offers an array of auxiliary services ranging from publication binding, large-format posters, passport photos and others, said Andrew Oppmann, vice president of marketing and communications at MTSU.

“BLUE print Solutions is student-focused first and foremost, but it will also be able to meet the needs of faculty, staff and administration,” Oppmann said. “In addition, services will be available to our alumni and the general public.”

The three-day grand opening will be highlighted 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. each day.

“We are excited to show the campus community what we have to offer them,” said Arning. “We will have food, games, giveaways, music and more for all who stop by during the celebration. And, we’ll tell our story!”

Andrew Oppmann

Neal McClain, Walker Library staff member, left, and Bonnie Allen, dean of MTSU’s James E. Walker Library, look over some of the printed material samples available at the grand opening of BLUE print Solutions in the MTSU Student Union. (MTSU photo by Andy Heidt)

The opening comes in conjunction with significant upgrades in equipment at the existing Greenland Drive printing location. MTSU has now added color printing options to its black-and-white printing choices with all services offered at competitive prices, officials say.

“Once everyone understands the state-of-the-art digital color printing capabilities we now have, I’m sure they will be thrilled,” Arning added. “It is our hope that customers will bring their challenges to us and let us help them arrive at solutions.”

MTSU sophomore Tierney Letcher, an electronic media journalism major from Memphis, stopped by recently to fax documents and plans to use the various services offered at the printing center.

“I’m excited that it’s open. Instead of having to drive off campus to Kinkos or wherever, you can get things done here,” Letcher said. “I think it’s a good idea and I’m really happy that they did this.”

BLUE print Solutions will operate seven days a week with both day and nights shifts. The spring 2014 semester hours are: Monday-Thursday, 7 a.m. to 9 p.m.; Friday, 7 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Saturday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.; and Sunday, 1 to 9 p.m.

Customers will be able to make transactions through commercial credit/debit cards, cash and checks.

An added benefit of this new service will be the expansion of MTSU’s relationship with Apple Inc. — there are Apple products available for demonstration. If interested, customers can order independently online at apple.com. Students, faculty and staff can order from the Apple education website and receive a discount.

For more information about BLUE print Solutions, contact Arning at 615-898-5381 or email Ed.Arning@mtsu.edu.

— Jimmy Hart (jimmy.hart@mtsu.edu)

BLUE print Solutions held a ribbon-cutting ceremony Tuesday, March 25, at the retail printing center’s location in the MTSU Student Union. The printing center will offer top quality copies, graphics support and more to students, faculty, staff and the public. (MTSU photo by Andy Heidt)

BLUE print Solutions staffer Dorothy Huddleston, center left, helps alumna Caci Turner check out of the new retail print services center located in the Student Union. Working in the background are staffer Christy Weir and Ed Arning, director of printing services. (MTSU photos by J. Intintoli)

BLUE print Solutions held its grand opening March 24-26 at its location in the MTSU Student Union. The creative solutions printing center will focus on serving MTSU students first, but will also cater to the needs of the rest of the university, alumni and the general public.

BLUE print Solutions employee Christy Weir trims prints inside the new retail center, located in the Student Union. The facility is a creative solutions print center focused on serving students first, but it will also cater to the needs of the rest of the university, its alumni and the general public. A grand opening was held March 24-26.