Equipment Checkout
SJMC Equipment Checkout
Located in room 236A of Old Main, the School of Journalism and Mass Communication's Equipment Room has a variety of A/V equipment for short term loan to SJMC students.
SJMC Equipment Checkout has an assortment of equipment like DSLR cameras, camcorders, and hand-held audio recorders, light kits, microphones, and tripods, many more items are also available for checkout.
Equipment Checkout Room hours are listed below. We are closed on days when classes do not meet and do not checkout equipment over holiday breaks without a written request from SJMC faculty. Students should check the schedule to make sure the office is open before visiting.
SJMC faculty members may make reservations of equipment if a large amount of equipment is needed on a certain day or after office hours. To do so, an email must be sent to SJMC Equipment Checkout sjmcequip@txstate.edu with at least 24 hours notice.
There are a few things you should know before visiting SJMC Equipment Checkout.
- We do not loan equipment to faculty or students in other departments. Please do not email us asking for an exception.
- Your TXST Student ID card is required to verify your identity to checkout equipment. We do not make exceptions to this rule.
- Students must be on the list of approved students to checkout equipment for the semester.
- You must agree to the terms of our Equipment Checkout Policy to checkout equipment.
Hours of Operation
Spring 2023 Hours | |
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Sunday | Closed |
Monday | 11am - 6:30pm |
Tuesday |
11am - 6pm |
Wednesday |
11am - 6pm |
Thursday |
11am - 6pm |
Friday | Closed |
Saturday | Closed |
Contact Info
Phone: |
512.245.6982 |
Email: |
Please Note: We are closed on days when classes do not meet.
Please Note: Our staff close the equipment room at the scheduled closing time. They are not required to stay late to accommodate special requests.
Equipment Checkout Policy
Below are the terms that we require you agree to before checking out SJMC equipment.
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1) You agree return the equipment promptly at the end of the borrow period and will email SJMCEquip@txstate.edu if you can't.
Life happens. We understand that extenuating circumstances sometimes keep us from sticking to agreements. We will work with students, a limited number of times, to accommodate extenuating circumstances. However, if you don't email us, we can't help you. Contact us from your TXST email as soon as you are able when you know equipment will be late.
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2) You accept that failing to return equipment on time will negatively impact your course grade.
This is already in your syllabus if you've been approved for equipment checkout. If you fail to return equipment on time without an exception for extenuating circumstances, your professor will be notified that you have been banned. Your professor will decide if this negatively impacts your course grade.
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3) You agree to pay for any damages or loss of equipment during your time of possession.
You are expected to be responsible for the equipment you checkout. We may ban you from checking out equipment and put a hold on your account if you damage or lose equipment. Please be honest with us when this happens, we will often try to work with you because mistakes happen.
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4) You agree that equipment borrowed are solely for course work and not personal use or financial gain.
University policy prohibits personal use of university property and equipment. The equipment we checkout is for coursework only. To ensure equipment stays in good condition, we have enough equipment for everyone, and we are complying with state and university policy, equipment may not be used for personal use or financial gain.
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5) You agree the items are in good condition. Inspect items before leaving equipment checkout to confirm this.
We do our best to keep items in good condition and inspect items when they come back and before they leave. It is your responsibility to double check items to make sure they are in good condition before leaving equipment checkout. You may step just outside the door to inspect your items if there is a line.
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6) You will **email sjmcequip@txstate.edu immediately** if the equipment listed above is malfunctioning, lost, damaged, stolen and/or you cannot return it on time due to extenuating circumstances.
We need to know as soon as possible if our equipment is lost, damaged, or stolen. Reporting missing equipment can be a time sensitive matter.
We need you to communicate with us about equipment you cannot return on time. If you do not communicate with us, we cannot approve a late return.
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7) You agree to return items in the same condition and organized as they were received.
Please make sure to return the equipment is organized as you received it. The plate should be on the tripod, legs on the tripod should be collapsed and secured, your media should be removed from the camera, and batteries should be out of the camera and charged if possible.
Equipment must be returned without significant wear or damage. If equipment is damaged, it is your responsibility to let us know what happened via email to SJMCEquip@txstate.edu immediately.
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8) You will request permission to travel outside of the San Marcos, Austin, and San Antonio area with SJMC Equipment via email to SJMCEqup@txstate.edu.
We need to know if you will be traveling with university property. Please request permission to travel with university property by emailing SJMCEquip@txstate.edu.
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9) You will IMMEDIATELY contact SJMCEquip@txstate.edu if the equipment is not working properly. You will not request repair from ITAC or anyone else without consulting SJMC Equipment Checkout first.
Students are not approved to have SJMC equipment repaired by ITAC. Email us at SJMCEquip@txstate.edu if any of our equipment is not working correctly.
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10) You will **NOT INSTALL ANY APPS** on our devices that are not already installed. This includes but is not limited to apps like Spotify, screen recorders, and any apps needed for class. If you need an app for class, email SJMCEquip@txstate.edu and we will do our best to work with you.
Installing apps can introduce malware to our computers. When a computer is infected, we have to fill out paperwork, completely wipe the computer, reinstall all of the apps, and reconfigure the whole system.
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11) You will store or backup all of your files with Office 365 or an external drive. SJMC is not responsible for any lost data.
Be sure to backup all files saved to devices you checkout before bringing them back to SJMC Equipment Checkout. Data saved on SJMC equipment is erased when the equipment is returned.
Frequently Asked Questions
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How long can I keep my camera?
Undergraduate students can checkout equipment for two of our operating days. Graduate students can checkout equipment for one week. If a student wants to renew their checkout, it can only be done in person.
For example, equipment checked out on Monday is due Wednesday and equipment checked out on Wednesday is due Monday.
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How do I renew a checkout?
Each recheck must be done in person with the equipment in hand for inspection. You can also receive a fully charged battery for certain items at this time. One recheck allows for a total of four days, which is enough time to complete a project.
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What happens if I cannot turn in my equipment in on the due date?
If a student is late returning equipment to the Equipment Checkout Room, the student loses all checkout privileges. In addition, a return that is late may result in up to a letter deduction on the student's course grade. If equipment is a week late, we are required to report it as lost or stolen to the University Police Department.
If you know your equipment will be late due to extenuating circumstances, please contact sjmcequip@txstate.edu.
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How many checkouts can I have?
Students are allowed multiple checkouts throughout the semester for assignment or project use. Compliance with returning equipment on time will ultimately determine how many checkouts each student is allowed.
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Can I put equipment on reservation?
Reservations can only be made by professors for a specific class. Checking out equipment is on a first-come, first-serve basis.
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What if I'm unable to return my equipment on time due to extenuating circumstances?
If a medical issue, personal emergency, professional obligation, or any other extenuating circumstance prevents you from returning equipment on time, we need to know as soon as possible. If you email SJMCEquip@txstate.edu and explain why you are unable to return equipment on time, we may grant you a one time extension as a courtesy. We do not need the details of your personal or medical emergencies. Failure to contact equipment checkout before we open the next day may be grounds for denying your request.
Please note exceptions for extenuating circumstances are limited and are not guaranteed.