The AR Creation Studios (ACS) houses three podcast studios for patrons to record podcasts or any audio projects using professional podcasting equipment. As with all ACS spaces, the podcasting spaces have been designed with the intention of serving creators of all skill levels. No prior knowledge or specific background is required to use the recording studios, just a sense of curiosity and a desire to learn and create!

Podcasting studios are for production, not editing (post-production). Patrons needing to edit their created content can do so in the Digital Media and Music Lab which is located just around the corner from the podcast studios.

As hands-on learning educational spaces, patrons will be responsible for producing and managing their own recordings. ACS staff will help patrons get started, but staff will not facilitate or produce recording sessions. For patrons who may not know how to do something, ACS staff are happy to show them how or learn alongside them to help projects become reality!

Patrons are expected to follow ACS podcast studios policies in addition to the AR Creation Studios General Use Policy.

Access

Podcast studios are available for use to University of Arkansas faculty, students, and staff during ACS open hours.

No training is required.

Reservations are required.

No after-hours use or access is permitted.

Occupancy

• Podcast Studio 242A: up to 2 people
• Podcast Studio 242B: up to 2 people
• Podcast Studio 242C: up to 2 people

Food and Drink

• No food or drinks, other than water in spill-proof containers with secure and resealable closures, are allowed in the podcast studios.

Reservation Policies

• Reservations must be made 2 hours in advance through the ACS podcast studios reservation booking page.
• • If the space is available, walk-in reservations may be allowed by ACS staff.
• Reservations are made in 30-minute increments for up to 2 hours per day.
• Patrons can make reservations up to two weeks in advance.
• Patrons may only book one AR Creation Studios space or piece of equipment at a time. No concurrent reservations are allowed.
• Patrons must check in at the AR Creation Studios service desk and present a photo ID (UARK ID preferred) upon arrival for their reservation. Check out is required at the conclusion of all reservations.
• All reservations have a 15-minute grace period for arrival. If after this time the reserving patron has still not arrived, reservations will be cancelled.
  • Patrons are expected to cancel their reservations ASAP if their plans change so others may reserve the space.
  • Excessive no-shows/failure to cancel may result in booking privileges being revoked for a limited period.
• Once checked in, ACS staff will open the reserved space for the reserving patron and any guests.
• Patrons must leave the space at the end of their scheduled reservation time. This allows ACS staff time to prepare the space before the next patron arrives.
• University Libraries reserves the right to adjust or cancel reservations. This is very rare, and should it happen ACS staff will contact you with as much notice as possible.

Use Policies

• The patron reserving the space must be present in the space for the full duration of the reservation. Guests may not be left unattended.
• Reserving patrons are allowed to bring one guest into the studios with them.
• The reserving patron is responsible for ensuring that guests comply with all policies and expectations.
• Patrons should request ACS staff’s assistance with adjusting microphones and/or boom arm placements if they are having trouble or are unsure of how to do so.
• The patron reserving the space is responsible for any damage to the equipment and space or loss of equipment attributable to their reservation and they will be billed for the cost of repair or replacement.
  • Spaces and equipment will be assessed following the completion of each reservation to determine if these costs are necessary.
• Patrons should not disconnect or reconnect any hardware in the podcast studios. Connecting personal devices to any hardware is prohibited.
• No equipment from the space is available for check out and cannot leave the intended space.
  • ACS does have portable podcasting and oral history kits available for check out at the ACS service desk.
• No outside equipment is allowed to be used in the podcast studios.
• University Libraries is not responsible for any personal items, equipment, or devices left behind. Please refer to the University Libraries Lost and Found policy.
• Patrons are responsible for leaving all podcasting spaces in the same condition, if not better, than when they arrived. This includes resetting the space and disposing of any trash outside of the recording studios area.
• Use for commercial or business purposes is strictly prohibited.
• Patrons should never use any broken, misplaced, or damaged equipment. Report broken or damaged equipment, or missing parts to ACS staff immediately.
• Patrons must report all accidents, spills, injuries, or any unsafe or inappropriate behavior to ACS staff immediately.
• Patrons must follow all ACS Staff directives.

Noise

The podcast studios have some sound dampening treatment, but they are not soundproof. Due to the location of the studio spaces and their door design, noise from outside the spaces and the Video Recording Studio may still bleed into the rooms. While a 100% quiet environment cannot be guaranteed, the Shure microphones that are used do a good job of rejecting extra noise from both inside and outside of the space.

Using Outside Content and Storage of Content

• Patrons are responsible for saving their work to their UARK OneDrive cloud account or their own personal external storage device.
  • Patrons need to provide their own storage device to store their data and content creations on.
  • Recommended storage devices are SD-cards or USB drives with at a minimum of 4GB of storage for each hour of recording.
    • Micro SD cards and USB-C drives are not compatible with equipment.
• Any outside content needing to be used during the recording session should be saved to the patron’s UARK OneDrive account or external storage device for access and use. No content should be downloaded to the workstation.
• University Libraries will not store patron content and are not responsible for providing storage for content.
• All machines and equipment in the studio spaces will have saved content wiped regularly. University Libraries is not responsible for any erased or lost content.

University Libraries reserves the right to amend these policies and guidelines at any time.

Use of AR Creation Studios is a privilege, not a right, and failure to follow policies and guidelines can result in revocation of this privilege.

We’re Here to Help

Have questions? Want to learn more? Patrons can stop in any time during open hours or contact ACS staff at arcreate@uark.edu.