At some point in your Queen's career, you will need to print something urgently. Knowing where to go before that moment arrives saves you from discovering that the closest option is a 20-minute walk or that the library printer queue has 40 people ahead of you during exam week.
Free Printing on Campus
Stauffer Library
Queen's students get a printing credit allocation each semester through the university's print management system (currently through PaperCut). The exact allocation varies by year and program — check your student account or the library website for your current balance. Black-and-white pages cost roughly 10-15 cents per page against your credit; colour is more expensive. The allocation typically covers moderate printing needs; heavy users (printing every lecture slide set, all readings) will exhaust it.
Printers are on the main floor and several upper floors. During exam season, expect queues. Go early in the morning or after 8pm to avoid waits.
Douglas Library
Same print system as Stauffer, often with shorter queues because fewer students default to Douglas. If Stauffer is busy, Douglas is the better option during peak periods.
Faculty Computer Labs
Depending on your faculty, your department may have computer labs with printers that draw from a separate printing credit or are free for department students. Engineering, Computing, and Commerce all have department-specific printing resources. Check with your department's administrative office or student society about current access.
Off-Campus Cheap Printing
Staples (Bath Road and elsewhere in Kingston)
Standard black-and-white printing at Staples runs 12-15 cents/page, colour around 75 cents-$1/page. Good for large jobs where you'd exhaust your campus credit, or for printing on specific paper types. The self-serve kiosks are faster than waiting for staff assistance. Upload your file at the Staples website before going for the fastest experience.
FedEx Office (Princess Street area)
Similar pricing to Staples for standard printing. Better for large-format printing (posters, presentation boards) where Staples may have longer turnaround. Self-serve available 24 hours at some locations.
Kingston Print shops (local)
For thesis printing, bound reports, or anything requiring professional finishing, local print shops often have more competitive pricing than Staples for larger jobs. Ask for a quote — binding, specific paper weights, and finishing touches are often cheaper at local shops than big-box print centres.
Thesis and Large Document Printing
If you're printing a thesis or substantial bound document, Queen's library and campus resources may not be the right choice. Options:
- Campus Bookstore print services: Check whether the Queen's Bookstore offers binding and larger print jobs — some years it does, sometimes it changes
- Staples Bath Road: They handle bound documents and have specific thesis binding services, typically $30-60 for a full thesis including colour cover
- Online print services (Docucopies, Printingforless): For 50+ copies of a document, online bulk printing ships to Kingston and is significantly cheaper per unit than local options
Practical Tips
- Save your campus printing credit for the documents that actually need it — don't print every reading if you can read on screen
- Print 2-up (two pages per side) for readings and lecture notes to cut your page usage in half
- Check your print credit balance before exam season — running out during finals is a genuinely stressful experience
- PDF annotations and digital note-taking are worth developing as skills before you exhaust campus printing resources
Do Queen's students get free printing?
Queen's students receive a printing credit allocation each semester that covers moderate printing at the campus libraries (Stauffer, Douglas). The exact amount varies — check your PaperCut account balance online or at a library printer. It's not unlimited; heavy printers will exhaust it.
Where is the cheapest printing in Kingston near campus?
Your campus printing credit is the cheapest option if you have remaining balance. For off-campus printing, Staples on Bath Road and FedEx Office are the main options at standard per-page pricing. For large jobs (50+ pages), comparing online print services that ship to Kingston is worth the research for significant savings.
