December 1997
Newsletter #29
 

Cooperative Purchases Benefit Faculty and Student Research

Library Donors Recognized

Classrooms Renovated with Advanced Educational Technology

New Reserve Procedure

Gift Enhances Australian Collection

New Library Databases

ProQuest Direct: Full-Text Articles Online

More Space for a Growing Collection

New Furniture for Science Library
Completes Renovation

Lauinger Library's Audio-Visual Learning Resource Center (A-V/LRC) participated in the design and installation of advanced media and computer technology for three classrooms in cooperation with Facilities Planning, the Office of the University Registrar, and several academic departments.  Different in size and design, the rooms span a wide range of pedagogical use. 

The Claire Z. Carey Classroom (White Gravenor 208), named for the Georgetown College Dean, is a 90-seat lecture classroom. Three College alumni, Joseph Cassin, Thomas Graham and John Werwaiss, generously contributed to the purchase of computers and other instructional media, and to the renovation.  The Office of the University Registrar provided funds for new seating, carpeting, and electric window shades;  the A-V/LRC installed computer technology, and a wide-screen projector system.  The video projector displays images from a networked computer, a VCR, or  a multi-disc player (video disc and compact audio disc).  The multi-disc unit plays audio compact discs through a ceiling speaker system, which also provides audio for computer applications and a podium-mounted instructor's microphone.  Equipment is housed in a new teaching podium, also containing an overhead transparency projector.  All equipment, and the electric screen in front of the room, can be controlled from anywhere in the room by a remote controller. 

The Walsh 495 renovation was underwritten by a generous gift from the Checci family to the Department of Art, Music and Theater.  These disciplines have special requirements for classroom instruction, which shaped the room design. 

The teaching of art history relies heavily on side-by-side display of art images.  Formerly, this required twin slide projectors displaying onto a front screen.  With the increased use of digital imaging, side-by-side dual computer projection systems are now necessary as well.  At the heart of the instructional technology system are two networked Macintosh computers with added Pentium cards. A digital document camera replaces the more customary overhead transparency projector, and adds the ability to display opaque images from books, or three-dimensional objects, such as statuary.  Slide projectors with bright-light modules project 35mm slides. Rear-screen projection was chosen for video, computer, and slide projector viewing. A digital telestrator allows instructors to mark up images displayed on the video projector screen from a computer or other digital source. 

Music history and music theory require a superior sound system and facilities for instrument demonstration.  A surround-sound system with five ceiling-mounted speakers serves compact audio disc and audio cassette players, a stereo turntable, an AM/FM tuner, a digital keyboard, computer audio sources, and the audio element of all video sources.  Storage space was set aside for a digital keyboard and a grand piano. 

A wireless remote control system, with both a touch-screen at the instructor's podium and a hand-held control, operates all equipment, as well as room lighting.  Seating was arranged theater-style, with computer network connections available at each seat. 

The third classroom media renovation project designed and coordinated by the A-V/LRC is ICC 221B, the seventh language instruction classroom made possible through fundraising by  Dr. Serafina Hager, the Curricular Dean of Languages and Linguistics.  Like its six counterparts on the second floor of the Intercultural Center, this classroom features a large video/computer monitor in a cabinet in a front corner.  Tied to this monitor are a VCR, a multi-disc player (video disc and compact audio disc), and an interface for laptop computers.  This renovated classroom 
now brings video and computer display to language classes and seminars, in which such technology plays a key instructional role. 

These three renovations join 26 other multiple-media classrooms which the A-V/LRC staff have designed for the main campus over the past seven years.  As with all classrooms, the Office of the University Registrar schedules semester room assignments, and the classroom Services division of Lauinger A-V/LRC schedules and staffs the instructional technology  and computer projection services.  If you are interested in learning the use of  technology in these rooms or would like more information about instructional technology support, please contact Mark Cohen (Director) or John Steitz, Lauinger Audio-Visual Learning Resource Center, 687-7491.