Brown University's Language Resource Center
LRC Policies and Procedures
The LRC is committed to supporting the instruction of languages, literatures and cultures at Brown University. Toward this end, the LRC staff has formulated policies and procedures to help streamline the service request process, clarify the LRC's role in managing instructional media such as audiocassettes and video materials, and make materials available online and searchable through Josiah.

Faculty requests for services and consultation:

The LRC now has a Web-based form for service requests (above on the navigation bar, see Services & Reservations) -- this e-mail form is received by all LRC staff, one of whom will respond as soon as possible. The online service request form will help ensure that no requests go unanswered, and that all LRC staff are aware of faculty needs as they arise.

LRC staff can help with:

  • technology- and media-related projects involving language, culture and literature courses at Brown.
  • training for faculty and graduate students in technology and pedagogy.
  • requests for software and media purchases.
  • arranging support through other Brown resource providers.

Alternatively, requests for service can be sent via e-mail to lrc@brown.edu . All LRC professional staff members (Andrew Ross, David Kanig and Carlotta Duarte) will receive any e-mail sent to this address.

Instructional media and reserves:

The LRC's holdings (including videocassettes, DVDs, CD-ROMs, audio CDs, laserdiscs and other materials) are catalogued in Josiah, the University's library database. All LRC holdings are searchable through the library catalogue, with detailed records available for most items. The LRC's circulation desk, located in CIT 209, is equipped with a library circulation terminal, just as in the Rock or SciLi.

What does this mean for you?

If you're a Brown or RISD student, you'll need a valid Brown University ID card to check out materials from the LRC. All materials checked out to students are on 3-hour building reserve -- they may not leave the LRC viewing rooms or computer classroom. RISD students taking courses at Brown University are eligible to receive a Brown ID card.

If you're a Brown faculty member, you'll also need your Brown University ID card to check out materials. Materials checked out to Brown faculty are on 3-day loan, and may circulate outside the LRC. If you need to borrow materials for an extended period or place materials on reserve for a currently-taught course, please contact the LRC staff (lrc@brown.edu).

Course reserves will be limited to 3-hour building circulation for the duration of the reserve period, and be made available only to a list of students provided by the instructor.

The LRC adheres to the copyright and educational fair use guidelines of Brown University (http://www.brown.edu/Departments/LRC/copyright.shtml). The LRC will not copy commercially-produced video or audio materials without express permission from the copyright holder. All materials placed for reserve at the LRC must be commercially-produced -- no dubbed copies of commercial material will be circulated through the LRC.

Off-air recordings will be placed on reserve in accordance with University guidelines (http://www.brown.edu/Departments/LRC/copyright.shtml). The LRC will not make off-air recordings in anticipation of later needs.

Online audio materials:

The LRC has digitized all of its audiocassette holdings and makes those materials available through its Web site (above on the navigation bar, see Online Audio). Per our agreements with textbook publishers, these materials are available only to the Brown community: access to online audio materials is restricted by WebAuth. Clicking on the Online Audio link will require you to authenticate your network ID, just as you do for any restricted-access service at Brown. Some online audio materials are also preloaded into WebCT courses.

Currently, we have online audio materials for Arabic, Catalan, Chinese, Czech, ESL/EFL, French, German, Greek, Hebrew, Italian, Japanese, Portuguese, Religious Studies, Russian, Sesotho and Spanish. Faculty members interested in placing course-related audio materials online should contact the LRC staff (lrc@brown.edu).