The Digital Media Center's (DMC) equipment room is located in room 226 of the Mattin Center; the phone number is 410-516-3817. The equipment room provides equipment loan services to all students enrolled in the Schools of Engineering and Arts and Sciences. Although there is no charge for the use of any University-owned equipment, students are expected to treat any equipment entrusted to them with the utmost responsibility and care. Equipment loans are a privilege, not a right. Other than normally expected wear and tear, the student will be held responsible for any lost or damaged equipment.

In order to checkout DMC resources, each user must return a signed copy of the Loan Agreement to the DMC. The loan agreement, along with the policies stated below, may be downloaded here (right click to download).

Students are expected to be aware of the replacement value of any piece of equipment they checkout. Students must be currently enrolled in the Schools of Engineering and Arts and Sciences. A valid J-card must be presented prior to signing out equipment. Equipment will only be checked in and out at the DMC equipment room when staff are present. Please refer to the Digital Media Center's web site (http://digitalmedia.jhu.edu) for current schedule.

The following equipment room policies and procedures should be read carefully and understood by each student using the facility.

1. Loan of Equipment:
   • To qualify for an equipment loan, students must demonstrate operational knowledge and mastery as defined by DMC professional staff.
   • Equipment will be available for loan to students who have been approved by a DMC professional staff member. Do not attempt to reserve equipment that you have not yet been approved to use.
   • When equipment is checked out, you will receive a receipt which acts as a permission slip to borrow the equipment. Hold this receipt while in possession of the equipment as it has important information for identification purposes.
   • Students will be held totally responsible for all equipment checked out to them when they sign the contractual agreement. It is understood that all such equipment shall be returned to the equipment room in the same proper working condition as it was issued.
     • It is the student's responsibility to accept only equipment in proper working condition from the equipment room. Check the parts and contents of the package against the receipt.
     • Should equipment become faulty for any reason while in the student's charge, absolutely no attempt should be made by the student (or anyone else) to repair it. If faulty, return the equipment immediately to the equipment room.
     • Under no circumstances should any equipment in your charge be loaned to any other person. All equipment transfers must be handled through the equipment room, even to the next user in line; you could wind up paying dearly for someone else's carelessness.
     • Supplying equipment to individuals who do not have authorization is a severe abuse of equipment room policy.
     • It is essential that equipment be returned to the equipment room on time. Late fines will be enforced. If you are late AND someone needs the equipment, you will be fined. Reserved equipment must also be picked up on time or your reservation will go to someone else. It is the patron's responsibility to be aware of the equipment room's schedule. You may check equipment in earlier than the return time and you may pick up reserved equipment earlier than the reserved time if the equipment is available.
     • There is a twenty-five (25) dollar late fee per day, per capital item, (cameras, recorders, tripods, light kits, microphones, cables, power cords, etc.) for all checkouts which exceed the check-in time. Extenuating circumstances will be considered only if the equipment room is notified before the equipment is past due. Phone calls to the equipment room should be made during equipment room hours. Messages left on voice-mail will not be accepted.
     • Equipment sign-out privileges may be revoked at any time without warning due to careless handling of equipment, repeated lateness, or abuse of equipment room policy. For example: unattended equipment is considered careless handling.
2. Terms of Equipment Loan:
   • All equipment may be signed out for a maximum of three (3) days. Equipment must be returned and checked before a renewal of the loan may be made.
   • Extended loans of any equipment will be allowed only with special permission from the DMC Director. Reservations for extended periods or holidays will be considered on a proposal basis. Falsified or misrepresentation of special permission will result in immediate revocation of equipment room privileges and notification of your advisor.
3. Lost or Damaged Equipment:
   • The borrower is responsible for returning all equipment received in the same condition as when received.
   • The borrower will be responsible to pay the cost of replacement of any equipment not returned, or equipment returned which is damaged beyond repair.
   • The borrower will be responsible to pay the repair cost (not to exceed the replacement cost) of any equipment which is returned in damaged condition.
   • Costs assessed against borrower will be treated as any other debt owed to the University, and failure to pay as required may result in loss of privileges and benefits, including but not limited to prevention from registering for courses, delay in receipt of grades, or withholding of granting of certificates or degrees.
4. Reservation of Equipment:
   • Equipment reservations can be made at any time during equipment room hours for up to 14 days in advance. Pre-approved/long term projects may be given special consideration by the DMC Director.
   • Thirty minutes before closing, all reservations not yet claimed are void. This is to give DMC staff time to complete check out procedure prior to closing. Specific future checkout times during the semester can be arranged by giving adequate advance notice to the DMC staff.
5. Room Reservations:
   Advanced video, audio, group, and presentation rooms are available for use by students according to professional staff approval. Access is reserved at the equipment room in a similar fashion as equipment. The patron must reserve the specific time of day s/he will be using the room.
   • Each room schedule is broken down into 2-hour blocks of time. If you work past your scheduled time and someone needs the room or equipment, you will be fined.
   • Reserving time commits you to that block. You may come and go as you please, but use the time wisely. No-shows are considered abuse of policy. Cancellations must be made during equipment room hours with adequate advance notice.
   • You are required to check in and out of the room by contacting the staff person on duty before and after use. Reporting of and responsibility for any problems, damage or unacceptable messes, is required for all work areas.
   • Storing personal project materials in the DMC is not recommended, but if a patron must do this, s/he must label the discs, tapes, etc., with a name and date to avoid having it removed. Please ask equipment room staff for a storage box.
6. Hard Drive Storage:
   Files stored anywhere on DMC computers or servers may be deleted at any time. Please backup your materials before leaving. This can be done to external hard drives, CDs, or DVDs. You can also try to email files to yourself or use your Jshare account. The User understands that the DMC is NOT liable for any loss of data or time, regardless of fault or intent.
   
   DO NOT save your work on the desktop. All work should be saved to the secondary hard drive. All machines will be cleared automatically on the first Thursday of every month.
   
   If you need access to storage for a long term project, it is suggested that you purchase an external hard drive. Some hard drives are available for projects. Please speak to our Director or a specialist for more information.
   
   For further information, please see the File Management Policy.
7. Penalties:
   Responsibility for lost, damaged or stolen equipment is outlined above.
   • Late equipment returns are fined. Failure to pay fines will result in a hold on your reserve/checkout privileges. Failure to pay fines that remain after the last day of classes will result in the holding of your grades and your reserve/checkout privileges will be suspended until fines are paid. FYI, that means you cannot use the DMC or graduate until your fines are paid.
   • Any abuse or disregard for the above policies will result in suspension of use of the DMC for the rest of the current semester. Access may be reinstated the following semester through formal application to the DMC director.