Welcome to ACTAL Virtual 2026! Hear a bit about the State of ACTAL before we start our sessions. Learn about the organization, great things that we've been up to, and how you can get more involved.
Curator, Moving Image Section, Library of Congress
Jason Evans Groth is the Electronic Technologies Librarian at University of Virginia, where he helps manage the Robertson Media Center (RMC) and is the lead manager of the RMC Audio Studio. He provides instruction in media making, especially audio and video instruction, and consults... Read More →
Emily Thompson is Director of the UTC Library Studio. Originally from Montana, Emily earned a bachelor’s (BA) degree in theatre from Drake University. She has taught English in South Korea and Taiwan. At the University of Michigan, she earned a master’s degree (MSI) in Library... Read More →
Digital accessibility can feel like a broad and technical topic, but many of the most impactful improvements come from small, practical design choices. Often, small changes can make course materials clearer, easier to navigate, and more usable for a wider range of learners. This session introduces the basics of digital accessibility through common digital media objects such as videos, graphics, presentations, documents, and web content. Participants will identify common accessibility and usability issues, and explore practical ways to improve content while also making it more visually clear, engaging, and effective for learners. Grounded in the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG), this session focuses on realistic strategies that academic professionals can start using right away. Participants will leave with practical ideas, quick wins, and a better understanding of how accessibility supports better design and learning experiences for everyone.
As academic libraries expand support for digital scholarship, media creation, and experiential learning, recording studio spaces offer emerging opportunities to support faculty, students, and campus partners. In this session, we will discuss Coastal Carolina University Libraries’ process for planning, prototyping, and launching a suite of recording studio rooms within our recently constructed library building. We will describe how our team approached the early planning process, tested different equipment and room configurations, gathered feedback, and used those results to refine our studio model.The presentation will also address how we are developing instruction and outreach for faculty, including strategies for introducing the studios as tools for course projects, research communication, podcasting, livestreaming, and multimedia assignments. Our current setup includes one traditional podcasting audio recording studio, one studio designed for livestreaming applications, and one video recording studio with a wide-angle camera and green screen currently under construction. We will cover the configuration of each, and the benefits and challenges we faced in implementing them. Attendees will leave with practical considerations for implementing similar spaces, including recommendations for equipment planning, room design, user training, documentation, staffing, and ongoing service and support models that make recording studios approachable for users with varying levels of technical experience.
The Medbery Makerspace opened in February 2024. It quickly became a popular service within the library. In the first semester, equipment and furniture were rearranged several times to create better flow once we saw how things were used. 6 months after being open we were tearing hole in the wall to expand into the next room. Now 2 years after opening we are finally removing the carpet and using this opportunity to rethink our layout once more. Through trial and error combined with keen observation, our space continues to improve. I’ll share the fun and pain we’ve experienced changing the space multiple times in a couple of years and what we’ve learned about flow in our makerspace.
3D printer waste, specifically PLA, presents a problem for Makerspaces. This can not be commingled with other recyclables, and though there are claims of compostability, specialized industrial composters are required to effectively break down the material. It is of course possible to buy equipment to break down the waste and extrude as new filament, but the machinery is costly and tolerances for filament diameter are tight. In addition to these issues, PLA can only be remelted so many times before it degrades. In 2026 the CCU Makerspace developed a plan to reuse the waste PLA was in an unconventional way. We ground up the material and then mixed it with epoxy to create flower pots that were given away to students in celebration of Earth Day This session will provide a brief overview of our planning, staffing, methodologies for using PLA and epoxy as well as a timeline of the project from January through April. The session will also provide some basic statistics on the distribution of the recycled pots including impact on social media metrics and student perceptions.
This presentation argues that first-time users decide whether a makerspace is “for them” within moments of arrival, often before speaking to a single person. It challenges the assumption that onboarding begins with instruction or staff support, instead positioning the environment itself as the primary interface for participation. What a space communicates through signage, layout, tool visibility, and organization can invite engagement or quietly signal exclusion.Drawing on findings from a multi-year research program, the presentation examines how first-time users read and interpret makerspaces through three recurring framings: “this is for me” as signals of welcome, “this is not for me” as signals of exclusion, and “this could be for me” as moments of surprise and delight. These interpretations emerge through rapid, often unspoken assessments of the space rather than through formal guidance.The presentation introduces the concept of passive guidance to describe how users rely on environmental cues to navigate participation. Instead of immediately seeking interpersonal help, first-time users look for clues that indicate what is possible, expected, and allowed. In this way, the space communicates before any human interaction occurs.This work calls for a shift in how makerspaces and similar environments are designed. Rather than treating inclusion as something delivered through people, it highlights the importance of designing spaces that make belonging and participation immediately legible through clear, intuitive, and accessible environmental cues.
This presentation chronicles the development of the first-ever 360° Powwow archive at NC State University, a landmark project born from a year-long collaboration with NC State Libraries and DELTA. Driven by a personal search for community and the discovery of profound cultural parallels between Polynesian and Native American traditions, this initiative uses immersive visualization technology to capture the sensory and spiritual essence of the powwow. Beyond its technical achievement in digital preservation, the project serves as a powerful testament to cultural resilience and the necessity of diverse representation within university archives. By documenting these traditions in a 360-degree format, the project ensures that the spirit of fellowship and the strength of Indigenous communities are not only preserved for historical record but remain accessible and 'alive' for future generations to experience.
