Multimedia Lab Moves To Bostock Library

One of the Office of Information Technology's two specialized multimedia production labs for students, faculty and staff will move to a renovated space inside Bostock Library in the coming months.

The West Campus branch of the Multimedia Project Studio (MPS), currently housed in Old Chemistry 016, will move to the Bostock "technology alcove" near the Link in the lower level of Perkins Library.

The relocated facility will build on successful collaborations between Duke Libraries and OIT, which manages the labs, planners said.

"When the Link opened in 2008, it quickly became one of the busiest spots on campus," said Deborah Jakubs, Rita DiGiallonardo Holloway University Librarian and Vice Provost for Library Affairs. "Students and faculty embraced it as an innovative space for teaching and learning, and they love having a full-service help desk for all their technology needs right here in the library."The MPS will be a welcome addition to the Perkins/Bostock library complex, making this some of the most technology-rich space on campus," she said. "OIT's second multimedia lab on East Campus has been a great fit in Lilly Library, so this is a natural move."

Renovations on the new space will begin over spring break, to minimize disruption for students and faculty.

The new lab, which is slated to open this summer, will have a sound booth, video conferencing and recording space, and 15 workstations, some equipped with additional displays and specialized peripherals such as drawing tablets, scanners and video digitizers.

Both labs feature high-end, integrated hardware and software for creation and editing of graphics, web pages, audio and video. Production tools include industry standard software such as Apple's Final Cut Pro for video editing and Adobe Creative Suite Master Collection (including Premiere Pro, Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, Dreamweaver and AfterEffects).

OIT staff will be available to provide a range of multimedia assistance and consultation during selected library hours. Duke students, faculty and staff can access the labs using DukeCard swipe access during non-staffed library hours.

The new location should see increased foot traffic, a plus given the increased demand for graphic and video application resources as more instructors incorporate multimedia projects into their courses. In the past academic year, usage of the MPS grew by 16 percent to more than 10,000 hours per semester.

"We hope the new location will give students and faculty better access to the MPS resources and more elbow room to work," said Stephen Toback, senior manager for OIT's Interactive Technology Services group. "It also will help having librarians and the Center for Instructional Technology close by, to provide expertise in finding and using multimedia materials."The MPS website includes news about the labs, as well as tutorials and tips on the studios' software and hardware.