Gelardin Buys New Equipment

Gelardin New Media Center will soon begin loaning out Kindle Fires and Apple iPads in addition to a variety of new, upgraded audio and video equipment as part of Lauinger Library’s ongoing efforts to step up its technology credentials.

Gelardin has offered Kindles for one-month rentals for the past year and chose to order five additional Kindle Fires in response to the e-reader’s popularity. Since Amazon does not currently permit libraries to purchase and circulate online materials, library patrons must purchase books to be read on the Kindles themselves.

Inspired by the success the SFS-Qatar campus library in Doha had circulating iPads last semester, Gelardin has now chosen to follow suit. The iPads will be available for two-week rental periods beginning this summer and will include applications such as iMovie, GarageBand and Photoshop, as well as a wireless keyboard and case.

According to Gelardin Department Head Beth Marhanka, students, faculty and staff equally utilize available equipment, and she expects that the new electronics will appeal to all patrons of Lauinger Library.

“The reason I love that we can have these resources in the library, as opposed to a department, is that they’re open to the entire community,” Marhanka said.

Reaction to the announcement seems somewhat mixed.

“I think that it’s a novel idea, and I think it would really be a game-changer,” Michael Salgueiro (COL ’15) said.

But Zoey Krulick (SFS ’15) said she doubted that many students would utilize the tablets.

“I just can’t see myself going through the trouble of renting one out when I could just use my computer,” she said.

In addition to iPads and Kindles, Gelardin will also acquire two new professional cameras, 10 new mp3 recorders, three professional camcorders and a multimedia projector.