I have heard several iterations of this question in my three years at Wabash. As the person responsible for the Media Center at Wabash, this is not necessarily music to my ears. Why do some students make it through four years at Wabash without ever entering or using the Media Center? The most glaring and obvious answer is that we have nearly no visibility on campus. Tucked in a corner pocket in the basement of the Lilly Library, we aren’t really on the beaten path for most students.
In an effort to explain the challenges with our current space, it’s important to know a little bit of history about the space. In 1991 during the renovation and expansion of the Lilly Library, the original focus of the Media Center was media distribution and duplication. In the late 1990’s and early 2000’s computers were introduced to the Media Center and content distribution moved online. Today, the Media Center is a high-end computer lab and production studio focusing on video and media production.
So, what is the solution to our problem? In short, we believe that moving the workstations to the first floor of the Lilly Library (essentially where the Current Periodicals are now located) will give the Media Center increased visibility and provide us with the opportunity to expand in the future. This move will also allow for expansion of the production studio, which is also limited in size and usability.
The current proposal will improve our workstations in two specific ways. First of all, we will increase the number of workstations from 9 to 13, with space to continue to grow as demand warrants. Secondly, the new workstations will significantly improve in comfort and usability. Our current workstations are essentially an amalgamation of leftover chairs and desks, which significantly limits the functionality and usability of each workstation.
If you have questions or concerns regarding the proposed space, please do not hesitate to contact Adam Bowen. bowena@wabash.edu
Adam
