Equipment Resource Center (ERC)

Overall Operations & University Transition

As part of the university’s restructuring, services at the Equipment Resource Center (EQC) at Arnold Hall have been discontinued indefinitely. We have adopted the majority of the inventory previously stored there, and our team is currently working to integrate these items into our own inventory.

As a result of these changes, we are updating our policies—including the implementation of a new tiered checkout system. These tiers will correspond to a patron’s program, year of study, or course enrollment, with checkout timeframes ranging from 24 to 96 hours. Details are currently being finalized and will be updated soon. (Please keep all of this in mind as you peruse the ‘Reservation/Use Protocol Info’ section listed below.)

We appreciate your patience as we navigate these challenging tasks through this transitionary period. Our team has put an enormous amount of care into these operational changes, and we look forward to continuing to support you this semester. Please don’t hesitate to reach out if you have any questions.

Shop Operations & Holiday Hours

• During the first Weekend of School, the ERC will close early at 6 p.m.
• During Labor Day Weekend, the ERC will be closed Saturday, September 5th through Monday, September 7th.
• Our regular hours of operation will resume on Tuesday, September 8th.

There is no orientation needed to use the ERC. However, access is only permitted after filing the agreement contract which covers important topics like rental policies and financial responsibilities. The contract expires at the end of every academic year. You may access the agreement form in the resources section below or by accessing it here.

Access to specific equipment does require students to be enrolled in a prerequisite course and/or an accompanying orientation.

Reservations can only be made in person at the ERC. Walk-in checkouts are welcomed while there’s resources are available.

We are open for returns only during the first and last 30 minutes of operation—no checkouts. All general checkouts are limited to a 24-hour period, with no grace period for late returns. However, throughout the summer semester, students enrolled in the Photography Masters program are extended 3-day checkouts; there is no grace period for late returns.

Throughout the fall and spring semesters, weekend checkouts are available on a first-come, first-served basis every Friday morning until noon. For more information about weekend checkouts, please revisit the agreement form.

The ERC is a professional-grade resource specifically for student use. It houses a range of photographic, video, audio, multimedia, and installation equipment. The ERC maintains digital and analog film camera equipment from a wide range of medium-format, 35mm, and large-format cameras, as well as lenses, tripods, accessories, and other industry-standard photographic equipment for each format.

Access to some equipment does require students to be enrolled in a prerequisite course and an accompanying orientation. You may reach out to us directly in-person or by email with any inquiries.