Tech Lending Library Painlessly Handles the Cutting Edge

Obinna Otti demonstrates some pieces from the Tech Lending Library at the March 24 Collaboratory. 

The constantly changing face of technology can be daunting.  But faculty and staff at Drexel can keep up with the latest innovations thanks to a new breed of library.

You may have seen some of what the new Tech Lending Library offers at the last Collaboratory showcase. That table of gadgets was just a taste of how the library empowers Drexel faculty to use emerging technology in teaching and learning.

“For faculty teaching online and in the classroom, we want to dazzle them with new teaching possibilities,” Susan Aldridge, PhD, president of Drexel University Online and chair of the OLC. “We want to make it simple to experiment with this new technology.”

Currently, the Tech Lending Library includes many of the most innovative gadgets on the market, including a 3-D scanner, the Oculus Gear virtual reality headset, a headband that measures brain-signals and a hand-sized wifi-enabled projector.

A full list of the equipment housed in Room 138 of the Hagerty Library can be found on the webpage. Faculty can borrow equipment to try out, just like they’d borrow a library book to read.

Joel Rodriguez, associate director of Learning Technologies and Obinna Otti, IT manager on the Learning Technology Team, oversaw the procurement of the technology and will help faculty learn how to use and implement it into curricula. 

“There are so many ways to translate this cutting-edge equipment into classrooms — both virtual and face-to-face — and we’re here to help faculty find creative ways to overcome existing boundaries,” Otti said. 

The Tech Lending Library, funded by Drexel University Online, will continue to grow as the team works with faculty members and program directors to identify their tech-based needs.

“I look forward to reaching out to them in the upcoming months to learn more about what technology they’re interested in pursuing to enhance their coursework,” said Rodriguez. “It’s not everyday you get to collaborate with some of the most talented faculty in the world.”

 To learn more about borrowing equipment from the Tech Lending Library, contact techlend@drexel.edu