Newsletter Edition: Fall 2019
Contributed by Gina Flores
The Oviatt Library kicked off the fall semester with a festive celebration to honor the five year anniversary of its Creative Media Studio. Past and present CSUN students were invited to submit a project they created in the studio for a showcase competition in five categories: Videography, Photography, Audio, Graphic Design, and 3D Printing. The winners were each awarded a $75 Amazon gift card.
Congratulations to the Creative Media Showcase winners:
- Rakesh Naguri – Videography
- Anna Falzetta – Photography
- Jacob Calabrese – Graphic Design (Alumnus)
- Michael Apruzzese – Audio (Alumnus)
- Jimmy Guzmán, Jr. – 3D Printing
“The CMS is such a great resource for CSUN students because everything we offer is free of charge,” said Eva Cohen, Oviatt Library Learning Commons Lead. “All services in the CMS are funded with the Campus Quality Fee, which comes from student tuition so each offering is exclusive to CSUN students. Since our main focus is on students, here at the CMS we make it our mission to listen to student feedback and add the equipment, software, and services based on their needs. When we first opened, we only had a few digital cameras and tripods and now we’ve expanded to offer a variety of multimedia equipment including DSLR cameras, audio equipment, lighting equipment, VR headsets, Arduino kits, and more. We’ve also expanded our 3D printing services to keep up with the demand for 3D prints. Since beginning our 3D printing services in the fall of 2016, we’ve gone from one 3D printer to six, and we’ve gotten over 3,000 print submissions since.”
Recently, the studio produced a testimonial video featuring interviews with student patrons who felt that their lives and education were greatly impacted by the CMS. As a student employee in the CMS, Rheana Laguardia thinks the Creative Media Studio is the best place in the library. She shared, “In the moment I came here when I was a freshman, everyone has welcomed me with open arms. Everyone's been so nice. So when you asked me how the CMS has impacted me, it's given me a second home.”
See what else students are saying about the Creative Media Studio in their new video.
“I’ve seen so many students who come to the CMS regularly not only to use our services but to also make friends, create connections, and share the art they’ve made within a community that loves creativity. The CMS is like a second home for some students and we always welcome new patrons to come here to learn, try out new things, and share with their friends,” said Cohen.
As an evolving makerspace, the CMS sees a fair share of student visits with a total of 20,000 device checkouts in the last five years. Usage reports revealed:
- The most popular items for checkout each year are: Sennheiser Headphones, Canon Rebel T6i DSLR Camera, or the Canon Rebel T7i DSLR Camera.
- 2,900 3D print requests since the service became available in 2016. 1,400 3D print submissions were initiated in the last academic year.
- The recording studio has been booked 6,004 times with 697 unique users since it opened.
With a strong demand, the studio’s 3D printers continue to intrigue and spark interest. For this reason, the CMS created a tutorial video to encourage interested students to take advantage of this resource.
The future looks bright for the Creative Media Studio with plans to expand services. New tools in consideration are laser and vinyl cutters, carvers, sewing machines, design cutters, an electronics bench, and moveable furniture. Additional 3D printers would also be added with more staff, space, and expanded hours of operation.
Currently, the Creative Media Studio provides support to University 100 classes to inform students of the services and equipment available to them, and how to utilize the resources as part of their studies.