Decoratively littered with the quirky projects of both students and Media Lab assistants is the Digital Media lab. A place that offers students looking for an inexpensive way to be creative, with access to valuable resources and technology that allow them to do so.
“Well, the most popular thing that we have is honestly our 3D printers,” digital media lab assistant Blake Valasek said. “But we also have a recording booth right behind me, and then we have a Cricut and a laser cutter.”
All of the tech found in the Digital Media Lab is free for students to use, including its five 3D printers and laser cutter. Students can make anything from stickers with the Cricut, 3D print desk buddies, and fidget toys, to bigger projects like wood art with the laser cutter. Students can even lay down a few tracks in the recording booth, complete with multiple mics, recording software, and a soundboard.
“[Any] student can use $50 worth of materials without paying,” Valasek said. Once that limit is exceeded, students will need to pay for materials such as filament for the 3D printers and wood for the laser cutter.
The Learning Commons, formally Vaughn Library, is a valuable resource for TJC students. In addition the Digital Media Lab, offers a wide selection of both academic and recreational texts, provides students with access to about 70 computers, an extensive online database, and a testing center, and also frequently hosts programs and workshops to help students with their studies.
The Digital Media Lab is open during regular Learning Commons operating hours. To use any of the machines available, students can go to the Digital Media Lab, located across the learning commons from the Common Grounds coffee shop, and talk to a Digital Media Lab Assistant or ask an attendant at the Circulation Desk for help.