Public Computers
BPL card holders have free access to 25 computer desktop workstations. You must have a BPL library card or purchase a guest pass in order to use a computer. Computer use is first come, first served, and wait times vary throughout the day. Prefer to use your own laptop? We have seventy electrical outlets located in the public seating space. Please note that any borrowed items, such as headphones or adapters, must stay within the Info Commons.
10 iMac "design" stations (60-minute sessions)
Audacity 2
GarageBand 10.2
Ableton Live 9 Available in the recording studio only.
Pro Tools 2018.4 Available in the recording studio only.
Adobe Creative Cloud
Adobe After Effects CC 2019Adobe Animate CC 2019
Adobe Audition CC 2019
Adobe Dreamweaver CC 2019
Adobe Illustrator CC 2019
Adobe InCopy CC 2019
Adobe InDesign CC 2019
Adobe Lightroom CC
Adobe Lightroom Classic CC
Adobe Photoshop CC 2019
Adobe Premiere Pro CC 2019
Adobe Premiere Rush CC
Adobe Acrobat DC
Adobe Acrobat Reader DC
Adobe Bridge CC 2019
Adobe Character Animator CC 2019
Adobe Media Encoder CC 2019
Adobe Prelude CC 2019
Adobe XD CC
GIMP 2.8
Microsoft Office 17:
Microsoft ExcelMicrosoft PowerPoint
Microsoft Word
OpenOffice 4
Adobe Premiere Pro CC 2019
Adobe Premiere Rush CC
Final Cut Pro X
iMovie 10
VLC Media Player 2
Any Video Converter
FLV Crunch
Handbrake 0.10
Mac OS X includes a number of accessibility options for people with vision, hearing, physical, and/or learning disabilities. Go to System Preferences and click on Universal Access.
13 Hewlett-Packard "research" stations (30-minute sessions)
Audacity 2.3.3
GIMP 2.10.14
Windows DVD Maker
Microsoft Office 2016
Microsoft AccessMicrosoft Excel
Microsoft PowerPoint
Microsoft Publisher
Microsoft Word
Windows Media Player
VLC Media Player 3.0.8
2 Hewlett-Packard "design" stations (60-minute sessions)
In addition to all of the software on the PC Research computers, the two PC design stations offer Adobe Creative Cloud programs:
Acrobat Reader DCAdobe Animate 2019
Adobe Bridge CC 2019
Adobe DreamWeaver CC 2019
Adobe Illustrator CC 2019
Adobe InCopy CC 2019
Adobe InDesign CC 2019
Adobe Lightroom Classic CC
Adobe Photoshop CC 2019
All PCs offer accessibility options, including a magnification tool and a narrator.
Info Commons computer workstations are dedicated to working, learning and research. You can use these computers to access productivity and design software, job and career websites, email, BPL databases, and news and information sites. The following sites and services have been blocked: streaming video, some social networks, chat, online games, and adult sites.
Recording Studio
The Info Commons has an amateur recording studio that is free to use with your BPL library card. Equipment includes a microphone, DSLR camera, and musical keyboard. Learn more.
Meeting Rooms
Each Info Commons meeting room has a dry erase easel and a digital display to facilitate instruction, webinars, and collaboration. Certain file types are playable or viewable on the flatscreens directly from USB flash drives: .3gp, .asf, .avi, .divx, .jpg, .m2ts, .mkv, .mp3, .mp4, .mpeg, .mpg, .mts, .tp, .trp, .ts, .vro, .webm, .wmv.
All displays include speakers and the appropriate cables to connect to your own device (the library does not provide laptops) for audio as well as video. Please note that computers running Windows XP and earlier will not be able to connect to the flatscreen. Central Library's wireless Internet access is available throughout the space, but there is also a data jack in each room. Ethernet cables; HDMI cables; and Mac-to-HDMI, Mac-to-VGA, Lightning-to-VGA, and DisplayPort-to-HDMI adapters can be borrowed to use in the meeting rooms, depending on availability. We also have dry erase markers for public use. To borrow items, you will need to leave your library card at the reference desk. Please note that any borrowed items must stay within the Info Commons. Learn more.
Digital Conversion
The Info Commons has equipment that allows you to convert your analog media—VHS videocassettes, audiocassettes and vinyl records—to digital files. Reserve time with the equipment and bring your media, plus a storage device, to the Info Commons at the scheduled time. Learn more.
Scanning and Faxing
Our KIC BookEdge scanner is free to use and outputs to a choice of PDF, JPG, PNG, RTF, or MP3 (text to audio) files. There are different image quality settings, up to 600dpi. The scanner bed measures roughly 12" x 17".
You may also fax from the scanner. Scan in and fax your documents to anywhere in the U.S. Faxing is a free service and you do not need a library card.
Lab
The Info Commons lab has both Macbook Pro and Hewlett-Packard laptops that are available to the public during classes and workshops. They include multimedia and design applications in addition to productivity software, and they all have Internet access. The lab is also equipped with a projector and assistive listening technology.