Memory Lab

Memory Lab equipment is available to be booked by appointment. Patrons may book an appointment by: 

• Email - grosvenorref@buffalolib.org
• Phone – (716) 858-8900 and ask for the Grosvenor Room. 

Appointments made by phone or email will not be considered valid until confirmed by Grosvenor Room staff prior to time of appointment. Appointments may be scheduled in two hour blocks. Up to two consecutive blocks may be booked at a time (four hours total). Patrons may continue to use the equipment outside of their reserved time if no other patrons are waiting.

Memory Lab equipment is available on a first-come, first-serve basis outside of appointments. Patrons may use equipment up to two hours. After this, another patron must be allowed to use the equipment if waiting. Reserved times for appointments will be indicated on the dry erase boards for each station. Walk-in patrons will be asked to return another time if use of the equipment is required for an appointment.

Use of Memory Lab equipment requires checking in with Grosvenor Room staff. For stations requiring additional equipment (i.e. the videotape and film digitization stations and flatbed scanners), a valid ID and contact information must be provided to staff when checking in. The valid ID will be held at the reference desk while equipment is being used. Digitization station equipment must be returned to staff when the patron has finished. Items left behind will be handled per Buffalo & Erie County Public Library’s Lost and Found policy.

Patrons must provide their own form of USB storage for use with Memory Lab equipment. Please note that not all types of USB storage will work with all equipment, as individual stations (i.e. the tape digitization station) may require specifically formatted storage media. Please inquire with a librarian for specifics. USB drives are available for purchase at Central Library’s Borrower Services desk.

Use of Memory Lab equipment is intended to be on a self-serve basis. Librarians may provide introductory training and limited trouble-shooting, but patrons are expected to use equipment primarily on their own. Patrons are expected to stay within the Grosvenor Room while they are using Memory Lab equipment. If equipment is left running and the patron is not present, librarians may reset the station at their discretion. 

For digitization of VHS, MiniDV, hi8 and Digital8 tapes, digitization is in real time—meaning that digitization of the tape takes as long as it takes the tape to play. For digitization of 8mm and Super 8 film, digitization will take much longer—generally 1 hour of time for 1 minute of footage. 

Memory Lab equipment will not be available 10 minutes prior to the library closing. If in use, patrons will be notified that equipment must be returned at this time.

The copyright law of the United States (Title 17, U.S. Code) governs the making of photocopies or other reproductions of copyrighted material. Patrons using Memory Lab equipment to produce copies of copyrighted material are responsible for any infringement. Librarians can provide resources on determining the copyright status of works on request (but cannot provide those rulings themselves).