Jan 31, 2017 After Hours Studio Access in the Faculty Center

In 2016, the Audio-Visual unit of Creativity & Innovation Services presented an idea to expand usage of the Audio and Video Studios located in the Faculty Center. Myself, (Robert Nelson – Ass’t Head of A-V Studios and Audio Projects Librarian), and Tony Sams, (Video Studio/Visual Literacy Specialist), explored the concept of After Hours users. How the space and equipment in each Studio could become available for users beyond the Monday through Friday Faculty Center hours.

Operating under the maxim: “Creativity doesn’t just take place during the weekday hours of 8am to 5pm”, Tony and I co-chaired an After Hours Task Force. This included members from other constituent groups housed in the Faculty Center (CTLE and TLT.) Ian Godfrey, as Building Manager and Scott Bigler, Head of Library Security were essential in the mechanics of handling such a novel public use of Staff spaces. Angela Jones represented Student Computing Services.

We crafted a Draft Policy that would expand use for pre-approved, “vetted” users that could access the Audio and Video Studios beyond the Monday through Friday working hours of the Faculty Center. Access tempered with security concerns.

The Policy Draft included:

• Studio use and behavioral expectations
• Restricting access to the Studio and not the other areas of the Faculty Center
• Cleanup and setup/takedown expectations
• Accountability for guests, etc.

Once the Student, Staff or Faculty member met on Request Form authorization with either Tony or I, their approval would facilitate use of the Studio(s). Separate processes for each Studio. Independent usage scheduled by Audio-Visual Staff.

After hours entry would be accommodated through tap-card access to the Faculty Center and individual Studio. Their Unid on their University I.D. serves as the tap-card validation. They would then tap into the Faculty Center and tap again for access to the requisite Studio for their scheduled recording. (Keyed entry is no longer in place.)

Security access would be tracked through tap-in records and usage of the Studio(s) monitored through installed security cameras.

All Draft Policies for the Marriott Library require approval from the Library’s Executive Council. Alas, the merits of our proposal were well received, but the cost of tap-card machines and cameras led to the denial of After Hours Access.

That’s not the end of the discussion, however. Fall of 2016, it was determined that the Milton Bennion (MBH) building was going to be demolished to make room for a new building. MBH houses the Instructional Media Service (IMS). It was determined that IMS would be temporarily housed in the Marriott Library. Cubicles and staff were to be installed and re-located within the Faculty Center.

IMS has unique Studio and equipment needs. As part of the relocation/retrofit of IMS, a meeting room was converted into a fixed Video Studio arrangement for their course filming needs. Next to their Studio was their equipment storage room. Both of those new spaces required the same tap-card access Tony and myself had requested for the Audio and Video Studios.

With this windfall, the decision was given to go ahead and install tap-card readers for the Audio and Video Studios. Security cameras are on order.

The passage of time also helped Tony and I: Summer of 2016 the Student Broadcast Council sought space in the Marriott Library for their content creation. Campus radio station K-UTE has been sending podcasters to the Studios since the tail end of 2016. Now we have a test group that can validate our premise that creative endeavors happen beyond the hours of 8 to 5.

So far, the student podcasters are using the space as intended. They can now accommodate their weekly media needs, without the intercession of Library staff, for their audio or visual content creation.

Tony and I will present our After Houses Policy request again before the Marriott Library’s Executive Council on February 13.

Robert J. Nelson
-Assistant Head of Audio & Video Services
-Audio Projects Librarian

View the original article on the Creativity and Innovation Services Blog