Digital Media Labs 101 for the Long Island Library Resources Council

Digital Media Labs 101Mick Jacobsen@mickjacobsenmjacobsen@skokielibrary.info

Who is this guy?

What we will do this morning

What is a Digital Media Lab?

Why have one?

Digital Literacy

Benchmark 2: Libraries provide access to relevant digital content andenable community members to create their own digital content

Employment

Business incubator

Expression

History

Community

Civic Engagement

A hub of creativity

Library Projects

Partnerships

DMLs1st, 2nd, and 3rd generation

The Skokie DMLs

FY 10-11 FY 11-12 FY 12-13 FY 13-14 *

DML Uses 1142 1405 1479 1548

100

300

500

700

900

1100

1300

1500

1700

DML Uses

*Projected

Peripheral items

MP3 Recorders

Hard Drives

Video Camera

Still Camera

Tripods0

20

40

60

80

100

120

140

160

180

FY 12-13FY 11-12FY 10-11

YML

TML

Fountaindale Public Library

http://www.fountaindale.org/

Arlington Heights Memorial Library Studio

http://www.ahml.info/

Pilot Studio Renovation New Studio

Ela Area Library

http://www.eapl.org/

Two Media Labs & One Maker Lab

Barrington Area Library

http://www.barringtonarealibrary.org/

One Kids Lab

Many more

• Brooklyn Information Commons• Darien Library Media Lab• Tacoma Public Library Storylab• Chicago Public Library’s YOUmedia• Etc.

How about building a digital media lab?

What is needed?

http://www.flickr.com/photos/epsos/

Grants• Best Buy Community Grants• American Honda Foundation Grants• http://www.ala.org/awardsgrants/awards • IMLS• Local contributors (especially for kids)

What is your vision for the space

http://www.flickr.com/photos/davelawler/

What do you want to support?

http://www.flickr.com/photos/mar00ned/

Work stations or laptops or both?

The space

Lighting

http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3001/3108651550_de48a77619_o.jpg

Audio

Noise!

Don’t promise quiet

Selling it

http://www.flickr.com/photos/pagedooley/

Get input from everybody

Even these people

http://www.flickr.com/photos/jorislouwes/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/raster/

Hardware and software

What is being done in the spaces?

Mac or Windows?

Stuff

http://blogs.skokielibrary.info/medialab/

Stuff

http://blogs.skokielibrary.info/medialab/

Stuff

http://blogs.skokielibrary.info/medialab/

Stuff

http://blogs.skokielibrary.info/medialab/

Stuff

http://blogs.skokielibrary.info/medialab/

Theft

http://www.flickr.com/photos/samiksha/

Software

Low cost or free software

• Gimp – Photo/Graphics• Paint.net – Photo/Graphics• Pixelmator (Mac only) –

Photo/Graphics• iMovie (Mac only) – Video• iPhoto (Mac only) – Photo• Garageband (Mac only) –

Audio• Inkscape –

Graphics/Illustration• Scribus – Layout Design• Synfig – Animation• Blender – 3D modeling

• Nvu – Web Design• Audacity – Audio• Avidemux – Video• Jahshaja – Video• Windows Movie Maker Live

(Windows only) - Video• Open Office – Productivity• Libre Office – Productivity• Mainstage (Mac only) –

audio• Adobe Photoshop/Premiere

Elements (Graphics/Video)• Comic Life

http://blogs.skokielibrary.info/medialab/software/

High-end software

• Adobe Photoshop – Photo/Graphics

• Adobe Illustrator – Graphics/Illustration

• Adobe InDesign – Layout Design

• Adobe Dreamweaver – Web Design

• Adobe Premiere – Video• Adobe Encore – DVD/Blu Ray

Authoring• Adobe After Effects – Post

Production• Adobe Lightroom - Photography

• Adobe Flash – Animation• Adobe Muse – Web Design• Final Cut Pro (Mac Only) –

Video• Motion (Mac Only) – Post

Production• Logic Pro (Mac Only) – Audio• Pro Tools – Audio• Reason – Audio• Cubase – Audio• Roxio Toast - DVD/Blu Ray

Authoring• Screenflow - Screencasting

http://blogs.skokielibrary.info/medialab/software/

Budget station (graphic design)

• Spare computer or budget Windows machine ($0-$600)• Epson Perfection V600 ($200)• Canon Powershot SX160 IS ($200)• Photoshop Elements ($100)• GIMP (Free)• Inkscape (Free)• Scribus (Free)

• TOTAL = $500-$1100

http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3414/3281139507_31ca7ceedd_o.jpg

Midrange Audio Station

• 21” iMac ($1,300)• M-Audio Fast Track Pro ($220)• Shure SM57 ($100)• Audio Technica AT2020 USB Mic ($150)• M-Audio BX5a Speakers ($300)• M-Audio Oxygen 61 MIDI Keyboard ($170)• Logic Pro ($200)

TOTAL = $2440

High-end everything station

• Mac Pro ($4000)• LED Cinema Display 27” ($1000)

• M-Audio Fast Track Pro ($220)• Audio Technica AT4040 Mic x2 ($600)• M-Audio BX5a Speakers ($300)• M-Audio Oxygen 61 MIDI Keyboard ($170)• Logic Pro X ($200)• Final Cut X ($300)• Adobe Creative Suite CS6 Master Collection

($2,600)

TOTAL = $9,390

70

Staff training

Paid resources

Classes for staffhttp://www.flickr.com/photos/taguri/

Free online resources

http://www.flickr.com/photos/markgasparovic/

Patron Instruction

Paid resources

Staff created resourcesblogs.skokielibrary.info/medialab

Lectures

• Intro to Photoshop• Advanced Photoshop• Editing Video with iMovie• Digitization• Audio Production with

Garageband• Google Earth• Adobe Lightroom• Adobe Illustrator• Green Screen basics• Adobe Acrobat• Mac basics

Group Classes

1 on 1 classes

• Mac Basics• Photoshop• Photoshop layers/masks• Illustrator• InDesign• iMovie basics• Garageband• Logic• Scanning• VHS/DVD conversion

• Cassette/Vinyl Conversion

• Google Earth• Adobe Premier Pro• Dreamweaver• Final Cut X• Final Cut 7• Adobe After Effects• Podcasting• Lightroom

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Programming motivated by the space

Skokie in Motion

Open Micshttp://www.flickr.com/photos/bigfez/

Contests

Youth

Teen Photography Contest

Teen Poetry

Exhibits

Online

Catalog

Physical

Copyright

http://www.flickr.com/photos/dullhunk/

Staffing

Types of staffing

Questions to ask

Hiring

Volunteers

Patronsseniors, adults, teens, and kids

Drawing seniors

http://www.flickr.com/photos/m0les/

Drawing adults

• Publicizing• Elevator speech• Keep the place civil• Listen to the

professionals• Expensive equipment

and software• Group and 1 to 1

classes

Drawing teens

• Teen only times• Hardware• Contests• Display spaces• Performances• Language choice issues• Hanging out vs.

messing around• Schools/homework

Drawing kids

Kids Lab Considerations

Kids lab programs

• Stop-motion

• Toontastic

• Mindstorms

• WeDo

• Scratch Animation

• Tech Open Lab

Top 10 things that have surprised us about running Digital Media Labs

6. Feedback happens. A lot.

7. Balancing Intellectual Freedom while providing a safe space for creativity can be difficult. Example: Misogynistic/hateful lyrics in rap music.

8. Finding a happy medium for ages with different developmental abilities and content needs is a challenge.

9. If there's a hidden feature or bug in a program, a patron will find it.

10. Digitization is HUGE.

Top 10 things that have surprised us about running Digital Media Labs

1. If a speaker can go up to 110 dB, patrons will play it that loud.

2. The majority of users seem to be 30 and over.

3. How many people don't even know some of this technology exists, at least so accessibly.

4. If you build one of these EVERYBODY will want a tour.

5. Teenagers like to pick at soundproofing foam insulation.

Thank you

mjacobsen@skokielibrary.info

@mickjacobsen