Minutes from Big Equipment Meeting (Summer Term planning, 5/1/09)

Present: Adam, Alex, Bryan, Charlie, Dean, Elin, Joe A., Kellam, Mary, Richard, and Shel

“Nobody needs an iPod”: meeting adjourned!

Just kidding.

Listening and recording needs are top on the list for LS. They can be filled in the following ways:

Listening: Listen online, download audio files to personal computer, borrow headphones, iPods, computer speakers

Recording: Record with USB mic, headsets w/mic, digital voice recorders, iPods with iTalk microphone

It is critical to provide a consistent message across all service points re: equipment borrowing

-We will strive to give borrowers what they need to complete the task, not necessarily what they ask for

-The default request for all listening and recording needs seems to be iPods, but that’s not always what is needed

-The key phrase is “short-term loan”!

Circ will develop something akin to a flow chart (or some kind of signage at front desk) to help borrowers determine the equipment they need

There’s a discrepancy between the number of 30G iPods available (42) versus the number of compatible iTalks (18): leaving 24 30Gs that cannot be used as a recording device. No plans to purchase additional iTalks to bridge this gap

Special software is installed in Wilson for recording needs

-Adam will check on the software in other labs on campus

Alex knows of two classes that will do regular recordings during LS: French Phonetics and 3rd year Chinese

Japanese School: Nakama software installed in MBH: are additional headsets needed?

Adam will compile a list of equipment given to each LS department for the summer and place the list on the server and/or wiki

1st weekend of 9-week language school: busy with placement tests

-Two sessions scheduled for Sunday 6/14 in Media Lab (at 2:00pm and 3:00pm): students attending will need to use iPods, and will not have their College IDs yet. Circ will ask for passport/driver’s license in order to check out equipment

Adam working with FMMC re: possible use of their higher-end equipment to support LS needs

Meetings with bilinguals re: technology—is this possible?

FS laptops: same message from all LIS departments: two-week loan period, short-term loans. No borrower can borrow an item for the entire summer: stress “short term”

Storage issues: external hard drives will be in high demand

Muskrat scratch space

-Ask the question: “what do you really need?” “Is this project assigned by a faculty member?”

Kellam will contact Macky Gaines re: translating the equipment loaner agreement into different languages; will then make available online and/or have hard copies at Circ Desk

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