Language Resource Center

Working Hours (Fall 2023)

  • Monday through Thursday: 9:00am – 8:00pm
  • Friday: 9am – 4:00pm
  • Sunday: 12pm – 8:00pm

The Language Resource Center (LRC), located on the first floor of Hollander Hall, is a computer lab with software packages and hardware modules, as well as physical books and study materials, for every language taught at Williams. The LRC accommodates individual and group study with delivery of audio and visual materials in digital format. For students who wish to learn on paper with pre-made flashcards and printed books, those are available along the side wall nearest the computer-free study spaces. The workspace is primarily intended for students who wish to perfect their language pronunciation, listen to passages in the original version, complete their language workbook exercises, quiz themselves on vocabulary, or write papers in any of the languages taught at Williams. Internet resources with educational content coexist with the more traditional media such as films, audio files, instructional CDs and DVDs, as well as paper copies of learning materials.

Language pedagogy has embraced technological developments that facilitate access to language exchange and authentic cultural matter, and the Language Resource Center is an ideal place for making connections to various types of materials that are useful for language study. At LRC, spontaneous as well as directed communication with other cultures is made possible in all the languages taught at Williams.

The LRC provides…

  • Resources for classroom instruction and independent study.
  • Information and training for use of equipment and software such as Antidote.
  • Support for technology-enhanced curriculum development.
  • Printed learning materials for in-center study.

Services for Language Faculty

  • To teach students how to use software programs required for their courses.
  • Assistance with integrating technology into the language curriculum.
  • Digitizing and streaming of films and audio recordings for more widespread use.
  • To provide physical classroom copies of learning materials, for use within the LRC.
  • Re-organizable classroom space that can serve as a computer lab or discussion hub.

Services for Language Students

  • Digital access to audio and video material required for language classes.
  • Technical support for input and browsing of non-Western languages.
  • Software programs required for language courses.
  • Resources for the Self-Instructional Languages Program (SILP) for languages such as Korean, Swahili, Portuguese, Persian, or American Sign Language.
  • Region-free DVD players, multi-system VCRs.

Resources for use and loan

  • International Video players.
  • Printers and scanners (and assistance!)
  • Physical books and flashcards for in-center study.
  • DVD players and other traditional media consumption methods.

 


How to use the LRC

  • Save your document frequently. Do not type for an hour without saving your document. Use a file name that you can easily remember.
  • Sign out of the machine after your work is finished.
  • Do not leave a copy of your paper on the machine after you have printed and saved it. The machines will be frequently erased and you will lose all your work. Save your work on a cloud service such as Google Drive or save it on a flashcard.
  • An LRC employee is on hand to guide you through your work if you need any help. If you are not familiar with any application talk to a lab employee for assistance.
  • Computers #13 and #14 are set up for PAL (region 2) movies. They could be used for European movies.

Audio on-line