THE LEARNING RESOURCE CENTER OF VANDERBILT UNIVERSITY
derbil t .edu/AnS/LRC/lrc.htm
The Learning Resource Center is the audio-visual center for the College of Arts and Science at Vanderbilt University. The LRC mission is to provide complete audio-visual support for all aspects of the academic program of the College, including classroom support, faculty and student support, and special event support.
The Learning Resource Center is staffed by five full time workers and 10 to 12 part time student workers.
Penelope Peirce, Director, B.A., Hanover College, 1968; M.Div., Vanderbilt University, 1973; J.D., Vanderbilt University, 1979. Director of the LRC since its inception in 1973, thirty-three years of experience in program vision and development, personnel management, operational management, technical supervision, budget planning and implementation, project management of all audio-visual classroom and operational space renovations and installations.
Carol Beverly, Secretary at the LRC for 10 years, experienced in reservations and scheduling, duplication and format transfer of most media, fielding and directing all calls, ordering equipment and supplies, handling income, maintaining equipment inventory data base.
Jamie Adams, Head Technician, B.S., Mass Communication (emphasis in still photography), Middle Tennessee State University, 1982; Maine Photographic Workshop (Avid Xpress DV); Nashville State Technical School (Adobe Photoshop Advanced); Byron Jorjorian Workshop (Adobe Photoshop CS2); CompUSA Workshop (Microsoft Office Access); Larry Jordan Power Up Seminar (Apple Final Cut Pro 5.0); freelance video editor; 20 years experience as a freelance photographer. LRC technician for 18 years with experience using and instructing in Final Cut Pro (previously analog video editing then Casablanca and Avid); broad experience with still film and digital cameras and video cameras, lighting for film and video, video and audio recording, scanning, classroom response systems, all types of software for post production and Powerpoint and Blackboard.
Jason Humphrey, Technician, Musicians Institute, Hollywood, Ca. 1995., Oklahoma School of Photography (Photographic Arts with honors), 1998; Larry Jordan seminar training (Supercharge Your Editing and High End of Final Cut 5); freelance musician; freelance video editor, short and long form video. LRC technician for 6 years with experience in using and instructing in Final Cut Pro, managing and maintaining Final Cut Pro editing systems, experience with SD and HD tape formats and related hardware; experience with DVD authoring; experience with VHS and DVD duplication systems, video cameras, audio and video recording, Avid Xpress DV, Avid Xpress Pro, Motion, After Effects, Soundtrack Pro, DVD Studio Pro, Live Type, Quick Time Pro, Compressor, Photoshop, Image Ready, Flash, Adobe Illustrator, Shake and Pro Tools.
Andrew Snyder, Technician, Associate Degree in Audio Engineering (minor concentration in English), Indiana University School of Music, 1999; (3 years toward B.A at Fisk University and Tennessee State University); Larry Jordan Power Up Seminar (Final Cut Pro 5.0); Multimedia Recording Technician and Live Sound Engineer at Indiana University, 2 years; Assistant Audio Engineer Echo Park Studios, 2 years; Live Audio Engineer Second Story Nightclub, 3 years; Computer Lab Administrator and Media Services Coordinator, Fisk University, 5 years; freelance musician; freelance video editor. LRC technician for one year with experience using video cameras, video and audio recording, Final Cut Pro, Premiere, Photoshop, Encore.
I. THE GENERAL MISSION OF THE LEARNING RESOURCE CENTER
The Learning Resource Center supports all aspects of the academic program of the College of Arts and Science. The LRC works in conjunction with the Microcomputer Labs and the Language Center to insure that all general and specialized needs are met. The LRC works closely with the Film Studies division to order and provide access to specialized equipment and services, and to set up and run all necessary film screenings. Actual learning objectives are set by faculty; the LRC provides whatever equipment and facilities are necessary to help meet those objectives. The LRC is set up to respond immediately to most requests; budgets are projected yearly to cover all anticipated need.
ll. PHYSICAL FACILITIES
1. Physical space. The Learning Resource Center consists of almost 6000 square feet with remote storage areas in four additional buildings. The Center has a reception area for the Secretary and counters for checking equipment in and out, a Director’s office, Technician offices, a work area, six different storage areas for supplies and equipment; one multi-media room with a Mac G5, Tascam Control Surface Mixer, JVC mini-DV player, vcr/dvd player, studio monitors; a slide and audio production room with copy stand for film and digital production; 4 edit rooms with Mac G5s, mini-dv players, vcr/dvd players, studio monitors; one group editing room with four Mac G5 stations; a preview room with monitors and players for preview and 2 iMac editing stations; a stadium seating style theater with large screen video projection (18 foot wide image), two Elmo xenon 16mm projectors for film, surround sound, computer, dvd player, vcr, laptop connection, touch panel/smart panel control; a seminar room completely equipped and devoted primarily to Film Studies classes; 2 restrooms; and a hallway used as a film poster gallery.
2. Equipment. The Learning Resource Center maintains a large inventory of equipment for classroom use and for check out to faculty and students for projects related to the formal academic program of the College. The inventory of equipment is constantly expanded to meet the needs of our users. The basic inventory (not including equipment installed in classrooms or in classroom storage areas) consists of:
(1) Canon XL1 mini-Dv
(2) Panasonic DVX100 mini-Dv
(1) Sony DCRVX2000 mini-Dv
(20) Sony and Panasonic single chip digital mini-DV cameras
(2) VHS camcorders
(4) Sony DVD camcorders
(20) Sennheiser boom mics and poles; (25) Azden wireless mics, (10)EV635s
(2) Mole Richardson Baby light kits
(2) Mole Richardson Video light kits
(2) Mole Richardson Tweenie light kits
(1) Mole Richardson Kino-flow
(2) Lowell light kits and Lowell case light
(30) still and video tripods, including 2 Sachtler
2 small dollies and one large doorway dolly and one large camera dolly
(8) C stands and (20) 20# sandbags
(30) boomboxes, (24) cassette recorders
(4) mini-disc recorders, (1) digital card recorder, (1) digital hard drive recorder
(3) PC laptop computers
(7) floating lcd or dlp projectors
(10) cd players, (12) vcrs, (15) dvd players
(2) LaCie duplicators and a duplicating system that includes (2) multi-standard
Vcrs, (4) standard vcrs, (2) mini-DV players, (2)dvd player/recorders and a multi-standard multi-zone dvd player
(1) multi-standard multi-zone recorder and (3) players
(1) portable video-conferencing system
(1) conference speaker phone
(12) still 35mm film cameras and (6) still digital cameras
(50) external hard drives
In addition to the above listed equipment, the LRC maintains additional storage areas equipped with LCD projectors, computers, speakers, cables, dvd players, vcrs and monitors to use in rooms which are not yet equipped or for emergencies in the event of equipment failure. The LRC also has a large inventory of cables, adapters, extension cords, tools, headphones, media software and a multitude of miscellaneous necessities for operations.
3. Other. The LRC used to maintain a collection of 16mm film, videotapes and dvds for use in College classes. The videotapes and dvds have been transferred to the Library and the LRC continues to maintain the collection of 16mm film. The tapes and dvds may be checked out by faculty. The LRC will assist faculty in placing all films necessary for class on reserve. The LRC will also pick up and return films from the library for use in class.
lll. CLASSROOM SUPPORT. The LRC works in conjunction with the Microcomputer Labs to provide complete audio-visual and computer presentation support for all Arts and Science classes. The College of Arts and Science controls 83 classrooms. Fifty-one of these have been completely equipped with video projectors, PC and Mac computers, a separate laptop connection, vhs and dvd players, sound systems, and control systems installed in specially designed lecterns. Large classrooms have three projectors for center or side by side projection, and document cameras, wireless microphones and touch panel control for the system. The rooms are designed to be user friendly and the controls are matched from room to room so that faculty users will find a familiar system in each classroom. The College of Arts and Science continues to renovate and equip classrooms and we expect to have all rooms completely equipped within the next couple of years.
The LRC will deliver to any classroom which is not yet equipped monitors, vcrs, dvd players, lcd projectors, computers, boomboxes or any other requested equipment. The LRC also has portable video conferencing equipment and a conference speaker phone for use in classes.
The LRC has technicians available from 7.45 a.m. to 11p.m. to set up and retrieve equipment and to respond to requests and problems, as well as to instruct and to do various forms of production. The LRC does an average of 13 setups (26 actual trips) per day and handles another 3 to 10 emergency calls per day. The LRC manages 25-35 out of class film screenings per week. The LRC does ongoing production work to aid in compiling clips, transferring formats, recording, etc. for teaching.
lV. FACULTY SUPPORT. The LRC provides whatever equipment and services faculty require for classes; faculty may also check out whatever equipment they need. In addition the LRC provides photographic services for publication projects and some services for research. All LRC staff are available for assistance, instruction, consultation, researching and recommending equipment, compilation of materials and editing, duplication, audio-visual problem solving, scheduling, managing film screenings and a wide variety of production including digital images, videotaping, audio cds, dvd authoring.
The LRC provides specific support for Film Studies faculty, assessing what faculty need for classroom space, scheduling classes, managing film screenings, providing equipment instruction for students and faculty and access to facilities, including 24/7 access when necessary.
V. STUDENT SUPPORT. The LRC maintains a large inventory of equipment most of which is available to students to check out without charge for projects related to the formal academic program of the College of Arts and Science. LRC technicians instruct students in the use of this equipment. The LRC also maintains at least 10 video editing stations which are available for student use; the LRC provides instruction to students in the use of the editing equipment. The LRC is open 24/7 for two weeks at the end of each semester to insure that students will have time to finish all projects, and Film Studies students can be given 24/7 card access at any point in the semester. The LRC also allows students to schedule the LRC theater or seminar room without charge when the rooms are available.
VI. ASSESSMENT. The LRC maintains a suggestion box at the front counter to encourage student feedback. Historically the LRC has prided itself on being extremely responsive to faculty need; however, this summer the LRC will institute a yearly email survey of College faculty for an ongoing assessment of LRC effectiveness in meeting faculty need. (A copy of the survey is attached.)