Are you looking to work on a digital media project this summer? Lyons New Media Centre has you covered and is equipped with staff and resources to help you with your next media creation.
Located on the fourth floor of Mills Memorial Library, students, staff, and faculty can access the space Monday through Thursday from 10 a.m.-5 p.m., and on Fridays from 10 a.m.-4:30 p.m.
“Summer is a great time to come in and explore the space,” said Rhonda Moore, manager of Lyons New Media Centre. “Equipment and studio spaces are more readily available than during the academic year, and people can take their time to try out the different resources we have to offer.”
During the summer, staff at Lyons New Media Centre are working to prepare for the new academic year by performing equipment inventory and quality checks, conceptualizing workshop events, and preparing for the celebration of the centre's 15th anniversary in September.
Patrons can expect to see three new podcast kits added to the collection of loanable equipment at Lyons beginning in the fall term, thanks to a successful grant application submitted by the Lewis & Ruth Sherman Centre for Digital Scholarship. Within each kit, users will find materials to create a portable podcast set-up with four sets of headphones and four microphones.
Changes are also being made to the 3D printing station, as the centre plans to switch from Ultimaker to Prusa 3D printers. Moore says the switch will make 3D printing more consistent across McMaster spaces that offer the service.
“Thode Makerspace is getting all new printers for the fall,” she said. “Once their printers are all assembled, we're going to take their current printers and bring them over here. That way, all the 3D printers across campus will be the same model. Ours are currently the only ones that are different from everywhere else on campus.”
Lyons New Media Centre supports visitors in creative media work by providing unique access to studio spaces, specialized software, and media equipment. Among the many resources available to users are a podcast studio, media production studio, virtual reality studio, DSLR cameras, and audio recording equipment.
Zain Khalbous, student assistant at Lyons New Media Centre, says she would encourage others to try everything in the space to get a feel for what they enjoy most.
“Honestly, it’s hard to recommend just one thing,” she said. “I would suggest that people come in and use everything to expand their horizons. There are a lot of creative opportunities here because of the variety of resources.”
Learn more
To learn more about Lyons New Media Centre, visit the library website.
