Georgetown University Library’s Digital Scholarship Services, which provides technological resources for teaching and learning, launched three new technology spaces in Lauinger Library this semester.

The three new spaces are the Idea Station with Interdisciplinary Data Computer for Research and Education (ISIDORE), the Digitization Hub and the Virtual Reality (VR) Station and are located on the first floor of Lauinger Library.

ISIDORE, which is located at the entrance of the Gelardin Center, is a high-powered computer with a large monitor, which executes advanced data analysis and visualization. One of its innovative software programs is Atlas.ti, a qualitative data analysis software new to Lauinger Library.

Megan Martinsen is at the head of the Digital Scholarship Services Unit and oversees the team that helps students, staff and faculty leverage digital technology usage for both research and teaching. Martinsen is particularly partial to ISIDORE as it is a brand new computer with countless capabilities.

“It’s really fun, exciting to be offering something that’s not available anywhere else on campus,” Martinsen told The Hoya. “My heart is close to maps, so I think that there’s really interesting applications people could do with maps.”

“With ISIDORE, it’s just speeding up the process and allowing people to do things that might crash your personal laptop,” Martinsen added. “It’s helping to make things a little more equitable for everybody to have access to that high-powered computing.”

Abby Scheetz, the data services librarian who runs consultations related to data analysis, visualization and management, said she often works with students who have very specific research projects, which ISIDORE can now make much easier.

“A lot of times, I’ll work with students who are just beginning to learn and just interested in learning more about a software, and I can get them set up with different online tutorials on the software downloaded for free, whenever possible,” Scheetz told The Hoya. “So we can do this at a low cost and get them introduced to a new data tool to get started with any sort of analysis they’re interested in.”

The Digitization Hub contains equipment for scanning documents and digitizing media like VHS tapes, MiniDV (camcorders), vinyl records or audio cassettes, while the recently renovated VR station allows students to immerse themselves in virtual reality by playing games, creating artistic designs and exploring Google Earth.

Barrinton Baynes, Lau’s multimedia project manager who works in the VR Station, said VR can make a positive impact on students’ learning and growth in different academic settings

“One person may be in a real estate program to analyze dimensional architecture drawings. We have folks in the science department who want to do ocean acidification,” Baynes told The Hoya. “We have folks who want to learn different ways to capture content.”

“I’ve dealt with a faculty member who teaches chemistry, and they have an experience where students can go inside different atoms or different atomic formations,” Baynes added.

Baynes also said students can expand the scope of their storytelling through VR, as the realness of VR can capture people’s emotions. 

“Instead of just looking at a regular video, you feel like you’re there with a certain group or a certain message. I think this can really alter someone’s thinking and desire to care about a particular topic,” Baynes said to The Hoya.

With the new VR lounge, Digitization Hub and ISIDORE, Georgetown students can now take their innovative ideas to the next level in the first level of Lauinger Library, especially with various staff members who can assist them in their learning.