Central University Libraries recently announced the formation of the Norwick Center for Digital Services, a student multimedia center that will replace the Norwick Center for Media and Instructional Technology (CMIT). The Student Media Center will allow students to work on digital projects for their classes.
“CMIT, except for the media library, basically served the staff and administration of the campus instead of students,” Norwick Center for Digital Services manager Rob Walker said. “That was OK, and it is important work, but it was our goal to help students directly. One of the comments that we have heard, for many years, was that there were places on campus with the technology students needed to work on digital projects, but that they were not allowed to use the facilities because they were not enrolled in a specific class or program. We wanted to remedy that.”
The center is located in Fondren Library East within the information commons where Academic Computing used to be and features 12 individual stations with 24-inch iMac computers and scanners, two group project rooms with dual 23-inch MacPro computers and scanners, and two group practice rooms with 20-inch iMac computers with PTZ cameras and a video projector. Software available includes Final Cut Express, Soundtrack, Adobe Creative Suite 3, Microsoft Office, Aperture, Logic Express, iLife and iWork. The Center will be available on a walk-in basis.
“There are other service gaps we’d like to fill eventually, such as offering digital camcorders for checkout, etc.,” Walker said. “Perhaps there are partnerships to be made in the future, like having a student group purchase a camcorder and tripod, and issue it to the Center for students to use. Opportunities like that need to be explored.”
The Center also provides one-on-one support for students who need help with a project or program. Students who would like to learn about certain programs can also receive support.
“Students can schedule time directly with me, or Tyeson Seale or Brad Wehring and work on a specific project together, or schedule time for a tutorial on Final Cut Pro, or whatever we can help them with,” Walker said. “We are setting up a way to do this on the Web. Students can also schedule via our kiosk (when that gets up and running). We know that some students just need to get the project done, and some students want to learn how to do it. We can accommodate both. We look forward to it!”
The center is open from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday. However, Walker says he hopes to expand the hours as more workers are hired. The grand opening of the Center will take place after winter break, however students may use the Center now.
“The students who have used the facility have been really happy with it so far,” Walker said. “We expect to be really busy once faculty start issuing digital projects to their classes. Since this is a new venture, we are learning things as we go along and we will try to be as flexible as possible. We are stoked over here and we want to help you look good and do well in your classes.”
