Georgia College & State University provides a number of easily accessible resources which will allow Olivia and I to maintain a high standard of quality for digital materials contributed to our site, while also limiting potential costs to both ourselves and the COPLAC. In terms of material requirements, specialized equipment pertaining to the creation of a research blog is regularly available through the Ina Dillard Russell (I.D.R.) library, with an extended check-out period determined by the applicant’s class schedule available upon request. Considering the nature of our project, relevant materials available through the I.D.R. library include: Nikon DSLR or Canon Rebel high-definition cameras, compact tripods, portable audio recorders, USB microphones, and possibly portable interface devices like Apple IPads, all of which, between the two of us, may be checked-out simultaneously. Additionally, my position as a student librarian may help to expedite this process, allowing us greater mobility on return dates, as well as a greater awareness of which materials are available at any given time.
Also available through the I.D.R. library is an “audio/video editing studio,” available for use by appointment Monday through Thursday, with limited accessibility on weekends. The studio houses a soundproof recording booth with a studio-quality microphone, as well as an IMac Pro featuring “Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, Audition, Garageband, iMovie, Final Cut Pro and Logic.” While the recording booth itself offers limited opportunities for effective in-person interviews, considering that we expect the majority of interviews to take place digitally, it may help to cut down on ambient noise if used properly. With input from library staff, specifically Kell Carpenter (Associate Director for Access Services) and Quechyan Cummings (Library Equipment Circulation Coordinator), the IMac will enable us to refine relevant audio files, using basic editing techniques to improve clarity, particularly where we expect to sacrifice some clarity in favor of accessibility, as in the case of phone interviews.
Scanners capable of digitizing physical documents and distributing them over email are available through the I.D.R. library during all hours of operation, as is a fax machine, in the unlikely event that we should require one to recieve or distribute research materials or legal information related to the acquisition process. Additionally, as we have alluded to previously, a research center and writing center are available weekly to assist in maintaining accessible language and an effective presentation when drafting content for the site.
Finally, it should be noted that Olivia and I both belong to departments whose subjects generally pertain to our topic (literature and history, respectively). Consultations with members of our departments engaged in relevant fields of research, like my earlier email correspondence with southern historian Dr. James Welborn III, supply significant feedback on context and implementation, which may not otherwise be available through supplementary institutions like the writing or research centers. Other COPLAC contributors, like my course adviser, Dr. Jessica Wallace, may provide direction unique to this particular class format. Reaching out to members of GC&SU’s mass communications and computer science departments may also provide additional feedback, contributing further information on effective ways to communicate with a general audience through a digital medium.
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