As a result of a study by a team of individuals appointed to look at the publication, copy, and audio visual needs of the Institute, Graphic Arts was closed and Audio Visual Services became a department. Outlined below are the highlights of the first year of Audio Visual Services operating as an autonomous department.
The department completed the year by providing service for nearly 6,000 Institute events, including production assistance for presentations in classrooms, international conferences based at MIT, and special events. Student organized and produced cultural and entertainment events were supported with sound and video systems capable of covering up to 500 attendees. These systems, as well as all equipment in the Audio Visual Services inventory, were made available to students at lower prices than those of other local vendors.
Over the past year, the staff of Audio Visual Services was involved in the planning and design of several new presentation systems including A Barco 8100 Graphics computer/video projection system in the 10-250 lecture hall enabling faculty and students to display high resolution computer images on a large screen; the initial design of the School of Architecture and Planning's Advanced Visualization Theater which involved coordination of the department's high resolution computing and teleconferencing needs with a video and amplification system with final installation to be completed next year; and upgrading of several classrooms including 4-370, 10-250, 26-100, and 54-100 undertaken in conjunction with the Registrar's Office.
Requests for computer projection continued to increase and the demand for higher resolution images required the purchase of three new projectors. Other equipment purchased included new VCRs to replace outdated models and UHF wireless microphones for portable use.
During the year, significant progress was made in the development of database programs to process work orders, track equipment maintenance in electronic classrooms, and organize equipment inventories. A World Wide Web based ordering system for services was introduced and used heavily throughout the year.
Further information about Audio Visual Services can be found on the World Wide Web at the following URL: http://web.mit.edu/av/www.
Louis W. Graham, Jr.
MIT Reports to the President 1996-97