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Computing Hardware Items for Loan
The Sociology Research Lab has a variety of items which are available to Graduate Students, Faculty and Staff on a no-cost basis for short-term loan. To reserve or pick up any item please come to the lab and ask a Labster for assistance. Anyone wishing to use this service should review and be familiar with our loan policy below.
Equipment Loan Policy
The department provides a variety of hardware and manuals for loan by OSU Sociology users, and we encourage their use. Our goal is to fill voids created by travel and library research, and to overcome unusual situations. Checkouts for these and other Department-supported purposes will be accepted.
The borrower takes full responsibility for the complete item borrowed, including accessories, carrying case, etc., and should take the time to look over the equipment to be borrowed before taking it out of the SRL. SRL staff will take care to provide equipment for loan that works properly and is easy to use.
Equipment
Laptops
Our goal is to make laptops available for as many people in the department as possible. With that in mind, laptops can be checked out overnight. If requested at least one week in advance, a laptop may also be checked out for a three-day period up to two (2) times per quarter. Unless special arrangements are made in advance, these three-day periods must be separated by at least one week.
"Multimedia" Kits
We offer several "multimedia" kits for on-campus class use and for departmental presentations. These kits cannot be checked out overnight and must be reserved in advance. The kits are comprised of a fast laptop. LCD projector, remote for advancing slides and all necessary cables. Complete documentation on how to setup and operate the equipment is provided with every kit, but you may wish to seek additional consultation. Please see a Labster for assistance with this item.
Speakers
We offer a few sets of table-top speakers that are great for showing videos to your class or for presentations that require sound. These speakers remain separate from our typical "multimedia" kits so please also remember to request these if necessary.
Digital Voice Recorders and Footpedals
We have several digital voice recorders available for short-term loan to aid in collecting qualitative data such as interviews and focus groups. These recorders are compact and each has an omni-directional mic attachment. Simply attach the device to a lab PC or your home machine and upload your audio to the hard drive. We also offer USB footpedals (and free software) that will allow you to easily transcribe your data either on a departmental machine or from home. Please see a Labster for assistance with this item.
Digital Camera
We offer a digital camera for capturing department events, materials for our web site, promotional materials, etc. Please see a computing staff member if you are interested in this item.
Tape Recorders and Transcribers
Tape recorders can be checked out overnight and for one (1) two-week period per quarter if it is reserved one week in advance. We also offer transcribers (sometimes called "dictaphones") used for transcribing cassette-recorded interviews. Please see a Labster for assistance with this item.
Hardware and Software Manuals/Guides
Manuals for computing hardware and software may be checked out for up to two weeks. If another user has an urgent need for a manual that you have checked out, you may be asked to return it temporarily. Hardware, software and statistical manuals can be picked up in the Sociology Research Lab.
Procedures
Reserving an Item
Reservations may be made as far in advance as desired. Please note that for some checkout periods a reservation must be made at least one week in advance. Reservation requests may be made in person (in the SRL), by telephone (292-1294), or by emailing the Labsters list.
Checking Out an Item
You may pick up an item at any time. However, items that are due on the day of pickup may not be returned until 12pm, so you may not be able to take the item until afternoon.
Due Date/Time and Checking In an Item
Items that are checked out must be returned by 12pm on the day that they are due, so that other users have a chance to check them out.
Renewing an Item
If you wish to renew an item, you must return it and check it in as described above. If, by 4pm that day, no one else has checked out the item, you may check it out again. Waiting until 4pm gives other users the chance to check out the item. If you wish to renew a laptop, please do not leave any data on the hard drive. The laptop will be rebuilt upon return, clearing the hard drive of any work you did while it was in your possession. Consider speaking with a Labster about storage options for managing your work while checking out a laptop.
