Overview

In addition to the policies and procedures listed on this page, all clients and staff of Digital Media Services are bound by the following policies and guidelines established by Information Technology Services at Loyola University Chicago: 

• Acceptable Use Policy for Electronic University Resources
• Rights and Responsibilities When Using Electronic University Resources
• Acceptable Use Policy for University Computing Labs

For a list of all Information Technology Services Policies and Guidelines, click here. The policies and procedures detailed on this page are developed in order to provide an experience that will benefit the students, faculty and staff that utilize the resources of Digital Media Services.

Location-Specific Policies & Procedures

In addition to the policies detailed below, the following area-specific policies and procedures apply:

• Digital Media Labs (Lake Shore and Water Tower Campus)
• Equipment Loan Program (Long-Term Loan)
• Equipment Loan Program (Short-Term Loan)

Policies for All Digital Media Services Locations

Academic Use

Multimedia and Digital Media Labs are primarily for academic use. If a lab location is full and others are waiting, priority will be given to those needing computers for academic related purposes. Game playing in the labs is prohibited unless it is associated to a class assignment. Unauthorized software is removed every time the computer restarts. Usage of any peer-to-peer file sharing programs is strictly prohibited.

Any behavior that causes physical damage, alteration or corruption of a computer's configuration will be dealt with as a serious breach of responsible use. If you find a computer is not working properly, please report it to a Digital Media Services Advisor.

Copyright

The copyright law of the United States (Title 17, United States Code, 1976) governs the making of photocopies or other reproductions of copyrighted materials. The Digital Millenium Copy right Act (DMCA) of 1998 is designed to protect copyright holders from online theft. Copying, distributing, downloading, and uploading information on the Internet may infringe on the rights of the copyright owner. Even an innocent, unintentional infringement violates the law.Every audio, visual or written work has copyright protection unless that protection has expired or the creator places it in the public domain. The work does not have to have a copyright notice or a copyright symbol to be protected by copyright. If you cannot determine whether or not a work is copyrighted assume that it is copyrighted.

Members of the Digital Media Services (DMS) staff will adhere to and will not knowingly violate the intent and the specifics of copyright laws. Furthermore, members of the DMS staff will not duplicate media materials without expressed written consent from the copyright owner. Copyright ownership information usually can be found in the recorded or printed material itself or on labels and covers. It is the user’s responsibility to determine whether information is copyrighted, whether it meets the criteria for “fair use”, and to seek permission from the copyright holder for its use as necessary.

For more information regarding resources for copyright at Loyola, please visit the following links:

• Copyright Highlights: http://www.luc.edu/copyright/highlights.shtml
• Duplication of Copyrighted Material: http://www.luc.edu/copyright/Duplication.shtml

For additional information and resources outside of the Loyola University Chicago system, please review the following external web resources:

• United States Copyright Office: http://www.copyright.gov/
• Fair Use as Defined by Stanford: http://fairuse.stanford.edu/Copyright_and_Fair_Use_Overview/chapter9/index.html

Digital Media Advisors

Our Multimedia and Digital Media Labs are staffed by student Digital Media Advisors and are available to answer digital media software questions, print posters, provide password support for students, alumni login access, printer management and general assistance with the labs and software. There are also Statistical Computing advisors available for more involved assistance with statistical applications.

Food and Drink

Drinks and small snacks are permitted in the Multimedia Labs, but not in the Digital Media Labs. Drinks must be in spill-proof containers such as bottles with lids or travel mugs. Meals are not permitted. Be sure to throw away any empty bottles, containers or wipe up any spills and leave your space clean for the next person. Individuals not following these guidelines will be reminded of the policy and asked to take their food or drinks outside of the lab. Department-only labs may have further food and drink restrictions. Hand sanitizers are provided in most of the labs.

Network ID Login and Alumni Access

In order to use the computers, you must login with your Loyola Network ID and password. Alumni who present their Alumni Association cards can be issued Alumni Network IDs for one-day usage. Visit any staffed lab location to be issued an ID and password by a Digital Media Advisor.

The first time you login, you may be prompted to change your password. Follow the on-screen instructions or visit the Personal Account Manager to change your password or if you have forgotten your password, you can reset it by answering the self-service questions you created.

All computers will automatically log out after a screen saver warning period, and all work will be lost. For your security when you are finished using a computer, it is important that you log out immediately.

"Open-Access Labs"

Our computer labs are designated as "open-access" because they are available for drop-in use by University students, faculty, staff and alumni. Several labs can be reserved by Loyola departments by contacting Campus Reservations. There are Windows and Mac labs available at both campuses with wheelchair access, printers and scanners at various locations. For more information on services available, visit our Lab Locations and Hours pages. Some labs are maintained by departments or schools for the primary use of students in that discipline. To find out if you have access to a departmental lab, check with a faculty member or with the associated labs department personnel.

Please Be Courteous

Like the University Libraries, our labs are dedicated to academic study and research. Loud noises, cellphone usage and talking can interfere with quiet study pursuits. Be considerate of your fellow students, faculty and staff.