Procedure for checking out equipment to faculty, staff, and students:

Circulating non-reservable equipment may be checked out for two days. Reservable equipment may be checked out for the reservation period, generally from one to twenty-four hours. Contact the permanent IT staff if a longer reservation is required.

I. General Procedure

When equipment goes out...

Obtain the equipment from the storage location (the rear-projection/storage room or the cabinets behind the service window) and check to make sure that it is complete. In the case of a projector other than a data projector, plug it in and make sure the lamp works.

Obtain a check-out form from the center drawer beneath the service window, and fill it out. Fill in the ID code number on the appropriate line for each item being checked out (for instance, "KC 108 Cassette Recorder") in the spaces provided. Always include the ID Code! Be certain to get the contact information for the person checking out the equipment...a name, telephone number, local address (campus office or dorm room is OK), and a box number if the person is a student. Indicate the date out and the date due in the spaces provided. A student ID number or University account number should be written in the space provided at the bottom of the form.

Note that equipment is checked out only to individuals. If the equipment is to be used by a class or organization, it must be checked out to one person who will assume responsibility for the equipment. That person must read and sign the AGREEMENT at the bottom of the form.

Finally, initial the check-out form on the line in the lower left-hand corner of the form. Give the yellow copy of the check-out form to the person checking out the equipment, along with the equipment. Then file the white (top) copy in the circulation file, behind the day-number of the date the equipment is due to return. DO NOT put the white copy into the drawer beneath the window!

When equipment comes back...

Ask the user what date the equipment was due back. Find the white copy of the check-out form in the circulation file, filed behind the day-number of the date due. Verify that the equipment being returned is complete and in good working order, and that all of the equipment listed on the check-out form is actually being returned. If everything is OK, then initial the check-out form on the line at the lower-right-hand corner, and put the form into the box in the right hand drawer under the service window. Then return the equipment to its proper storage place. ALWAYS be sure to pull the white copy of the check-out form out of the circulation file! It is embarassing for us to make threatening telephone calls to equipment users who have, in fact, brought back the stuff they borrowed!

Most important...

If you have any questions; if you are in any doubt about proper procedure, please ASK a permanent staff member or a student supervisor!

II. Special restrictions and procedures:

• Laptop computers may NOT be checked out to students.
• The Data Projectors may NOT be checked out to students.
• The LCD panel may be checked out to students.
  • Always include the high-intensity overhead projector when sending out the LCD panel
• Camcorders are for academic use only, and should be reserved.
• Broadcast Camcorders (J400, J401, J402, J403) are for use by television production students only; a list may be found in the camcorder reservation book. Note that the Super-VHS camcorders (J179, J180) are no longer restricted to television production students.

Some equipment may be reserved, specifically the Camcorders, Broadcast Camcorders, Laptop Computers, Data Projector, LCD Panel/Overhead, and the Digital Cameras. Reservations are on a first-come, first served basis and are recorded in the equipment reservation book. These reservations may be taken at any time. To take a reservation, first make sure the user is eligible (faculty or staff if reserving a laptop; using it for a class if reserving a camcorder; using it for TV Production if a broadcast camcorder, etc.). Then check the reservation books to verify that the equipment is in fact available when the user wants it. Then write in the user's name, indicating the pick up and drop off times. These items are generally available for spans of from one to 24 hours as required. Finally, please put your initials on the reservation as well.

When checking out reservable equipment, be sure to check the reservations on the computer. These items may be checked out without a reservation provided that they are not already reserved by someone else. If the equipment is not reserved at check-out time, be sure to enter the user's name in the reservation computer and indicate the check-in time when checking the equipment out...in essence, make an on-the-spot reservation so that a person looking at the reservation system can see that the equipment is in fact checked out. Also, when filling out the check-out slips for these items, please indicate the return time as well as the due-date.

A note about camcorders and digital cameras...

Camcorders and digital cameras require rechargeable batteries to operate. The batteries are located on the shelf to the left of the service window. Note that there are four types of batteries:

• Camcorders J-123, J-179, J-180, and J-181 use the longer batteries, which are marked in white.
• Camcorders J-500 and J-501 use the short batteries with numbers 500 and higher marked in blue.
• The broadcast camcorders J-400 and J-401 use the Anton-Bauer power bricks, which are kept on the chargers at all times.
• Digital camcorders J-402 and J-403, and the Sony Mavica digital cameras DC-6, DC-7, and DC-10 use the Sony batteries with numbers marked in red.

When issuing a camcorder (other than the broadcast camcorders), include two or three batteries of the correct type. Put each battery onto a battery charger before sending it out; make sure that the CHARGE light on the charger goes out before sending the battery. This insures that the batteries are fully charged. When a camcorder comes back, always remove the batteries from the case and put them on the chargers. Note that all of the slide-in batteries may be charged on the chargers without regard to type; the batteries for the broadcast camcorders may only be charged on the Anton-Bauer chargers, and the Sony batteries must be charged on the Sima chargers.

When issuing a broadcast camcorder, include two of the Anton-Bauer batteries. There are red and green charge indicator lights on the charger. If the green light under a battery is lit (either flashing or steady) the battery is ready to go.

Each camcorder battery should run for about an hour. Our chargers cannot be checked out, but the Super VHS camcorders (J-179 and J-180) include slide-in power supplies in the camcorder kits, and the digital camcorders (J-402 and J-403) and Mavica digital cameras (DC-6, DC-7, and DC-10) include power supply/battery charger packs that can be used to power the camera or to charge the battery in the camera.

Rev. 1.2 - DCAjr - 09/26/2001--HTML 09/26/2001

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