The Library will be closed on Sunday, March 31, 2024, in observance of Easter

Digital Media Stations

A computer on a desk.

Digital Media Stations

The Octavia Lab has four 27” iMac computers available for our members. The iMacs are our digital media workhorses. They can be used for graphic design, photo retouching, digital painting and illustration, 3d modeling, audio mixing, video editing and more. Each iMac has a standard OS X install complete with Apple programs like Garageband and iMovie. They also have a full Adobe Creative Cloud suite, so lab members will have access to industry leading software such as Photoshop, Illustrator, Premiere Pro, and more. The Octavia Lab also offers free and open source alternatives like GIMP, Inkscape, and Blender.

Lab members may only use/reserve a single two hour iMac session each day. Equipment is available on a first-come, first serve-basis. Lab members may make reservations up to one week in advance. Reservations are done in person or over the phone at (213) 228-7150.


How does it work?

The Digital Media Stations have software for graphic design, photo editing, digital illustration, sound editing, video editing, motion graphics, and 3D modeling. If you are trying to learn a new software, the lab provides the following resources:

Interested lab members may request additional information prior to their visit by emailing us at octavialab@lapl.org.

How much does it cost?

Access to the iMacs and their software is absolutely free. Access to the lab’s software/equipment/tools is limited to lab members only. Lab membership is free.

What do I need to bring?

It is recommended that lab members bring a storage device to save their projects. All lab computer hard drives are wiped between each session to ensure patron privacy. The size of the storage device you bring is up to you. Most lab projects will fit on a standard flash drive. Be advised that most video, and motion graphics projects may require a large capacity external hard drive. If you do bring your own storage device, please make sure that it is formatted properly. If you have any questions regarding which drive formatting will work best for your project, please contact the lab.

If you intend to work on an audio or video project, we ask that you bring your own headphones. There is a lot of ambient sound in the lab that may make it difficult to properly work on projects with audio components. The lab does not lend headphones.


Software

Adobe Creative Cloud

  • Photoshop
  • Illustrator
  • Premiere Pro
  • Audition
  • After Effects
  • And more…

Apple

  • Garageband
  • iMovie

Free Software

  • Blender
  • DaVinci Resolve
  • GIMP
  • Inkscape

Equipment Software

  • Contact the lab for details.

Hardware

PC

  • 27” iMac
  • USB 3: 4 ports
  • Thunderbolt 3: 2 ports
  • SDXC Card: 1 slot
  • Peripherals (by request)
  • Intuos Wacom tablets

Digital Media Stations Titles

  • Adobe Creative Cloud All-in-one

    Adobe Creative Cloud All-in-one

    Smith, Jennifer
  • Adobe Illustrator CC

    Adobe Illustrator CC

    Karlins, David
  • Adobe Illustrator CC : A Complete Course and Compendium of Features

    Adobe Illustrator CC : A Complete Course and Compendium of Features

    Hoppe, Jason
  • Adobe Photoshop CC

    Adobe Photoshop CC

    Bauer, Peter
  • Adobe Photoshop Lightroom Classic

    Adobe Photoshop Lightroom Classic

    Concepcion, Rafael
  • Adobe Premiere Pro CC for Dummies

    Adobe Premiere Pro CC for Dummies

    Carucci, John
  • Beginner's Guide to Creating Characters in Blender

    Beginner's Guide to Creating Characters in Blender

  • Blender for Dummies

    Blender for Dummies

    Van Gumster, Jason
  • The Photoshop Layers & Selections Workshop

    The Photoshop Layers & Selections Workshop

    Dewis, Glyn

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