Darien Library

Darien, Connecticut

Darien Library

• 45 minutes north of NYC
• ~20,000 residents
• 1 Branch
• Association library
• New construction (2009)

Darien's Digital Media Lab

(DML)

Darien's Digital Media Lab

• Commodity vs. specialty computing
• Heavily focused on analog to digital conversion
• Provides professional-level tools to users
• May be reserved for two-hour time blocks
• Staff instruction is available

DML vs Maker Space

Decision: Maker space or digital media lab?

Maker Spaces

Pros

• Strong interest
• Existing expertise
• Versatile
• Fun
• "Active"
• Less Expensive
• High profile/visibility

Maker Spaces

Cons

• Alignment with library's mission is not immediately apparent
• Can be messy
• Achieving sustained usage can be a challenge
• Materials are an ongoing expense
• Safety and liability are considerations

Digital Media Labs

Pros

• Can leverage existing technology expertise
• Can piggyback on existing infrastructure & service models
• More apparently in-line with the library's mission
• Broader demand among library users
• Practical application for local businesses

Digital Media Labs

Cons

• More expensive
• Requires high-level technical expertise
• More intensive training for staff
• More ongoing one-on-one work with users
• Equipment failure and replacement create ongoing costs

Our Choice: DML

• Because of the pros previously listed
• The space we had available was more appropriate for DML
• Survey of users' needs revealed that they would use DML more than a maker space
• My personal feeling that DML would have a deeper community impact

Planning and Preparation

Planning the Space

• Identify where the DML would be located
• Space considerations
  • Power
  • Data & wiring
  • Ambient Noise
  • Lighting
• Ability to be monitored by staff
• Balance between privacy and visibility

Planning the Budget

• Make a list of costs associated with barebones preparation
• Make a list of all the desired capabilities
• Spec out solutions to provide those capabilities
• Prioritize
• Scale back as necessary

Making Your Case

• Articulate the value proposition
• Work with community leaders ahead of time
• Build interest inside and outside the library
• Proof-of-concept
• Tie-ins (Institutional repositories, DPLA, etc)
• Link it to the core mission of the library
• Optional: Develop a business plan for generating revenue

Implementation

Space

• We chose a study room to retrofit
• Green screen paint on the back wall (Chromakey green)
• Dropdown shade leftover from construction as backdrop
• Existing, spare tables as desks
• Purchased two studio chairs
• Whiteboard and corkboard
• Inexpensive shelf for AV equipment
• Mountable 12-outlet power strip
• Foam acoustic tiles

Policy

• Available for 2-4 hour time slots
• Must live or work in town of be a Friend at the $300 level
• Must be 14 yo or older or with a parent
• Must sign a liability form

Staffing

• Helpdesk technicials are trained on all the equipment
• Public may schedule time to sit down with trained staff
• Open to staff use for internal or personal projects
• Training is available to all staff on an ongoing basis
• "TechBytes"

Equipment

• Sourcing older technology was a challenge
• Older A/V equipment purchased from eBay
• Sourced high-quality VHS, Cassette tape players
• Cable TV box
• Mac Pro Workstation
• Dual monitor arms mounted to the wall
• Turntable
• Lightbox
• Lighting equipment
• 3D Printer
• For a full list: darienlibrary.org/dml

Cassette/CD Player

Hi8 Player

Betamax

VHS

Cable TV

Mac Pro

Flatbed Scanner

3D Printer: Replicator

3D Printer: Form1

3D Scanner

Digital Turntable

Sound Bar

A/V Patch Panel

Portable Sound Board

Camcorder

Light Box

Movable Lighting

Software

• Audio Production
• DVD Creation
• eBook Creation
• Image Creation and Editing
• Video Creation and Editing
• Website Building
• 3D Modeling

Audio Production

• Adobe Audition CS6
• GarageBand
• Audacity
• Format conversion tools

DVD Creation

• Titanium Toast
• Built-in OSX tools

eBook Creation

• iBooks Author
• Adobe InDesign CS6
• Calibre

Image Creation and Editing

• Adobe Illustrator CS6
• Adobe Photoshop CS6

Video Editing

• Adobe After Effects CS6
• Adobe Premiere CS6
• Compressor
• Final Cut Pro X
• Handbrake
• iMovie
• BlackMagic Intensity Capture Card and Software

Website Building

• Adobe Dreamweaver CS6
• Adobe Flash CS6
• Textedit

3D Modeling

• Blender
• Google SketchUp
• Makerbot Tools
• Formlabs Tools

Publicity

Example videos, produced in the DML

Programming Integration

Remember, Record, & Celebrate: A Guide to Creating Your Own Oral History

Viral Videos!

Darien Library Does Gangnam Style

Challenges

• Staffing
• Equipment Failure & Breakage
• Materials

Usage

• 50-60 Reservations/month
• 5-10 one-on-one sessions per month
• $4-5K per year in additions/upgrades

Stories