studio40 Frequently Ask Questions

The Media Center, located on the 6th Floor of the Stavros Niarchos Foundation Library in midtown Manhattan, is the home to a flagship media and education space, with classrooms, computer workstations, and a recording studio -- all available for public access.

Classes, training, events, and studio time are available for free at the Center. Please refer to our schedules for more information.

The Media Center is run by TechConnect Technology Training Programs at The New York Public Library, and is a division of the Adult Education department.  It’s part of the Pasculano Learning Center on the 6th Floor of SNFL.

You can reserve sessions on our Media Workstations in person on the 6th Floor of the Stavros Niarchos Foundation Library.  Sessions can be reserved to use software like Adobe Creative Suite (Photoshop, Illustrator, Premiere, InDesign), Ableton Live, ProTools, Logic, DaVinci Resolve, and more outside the classroom. 

Reservations are made for 2 hour sessions and can be renewed if no one comes later to reserve the computer after you. 

To book time in the studio, you must first successfully complete the Studio Orientation and Access Track. As part of the Access Track, you will complete training and hands-on assessments, verify that your Library Card is in good standing (no fines or fees) and sign our Release Form. Once you’ve completed the Access Sessions, you will be able to log in to a booking portal to schedule time in the studio.

You can sign up for our next Studio40 Orientation & Access Track here.

Yes. You can book a maximum of (2) sessions per calendar month.  Once you have booked your two sessions for the month, you won’t be able to book again until the first day of the following month.

The Media Center’s facilities are publicly available and there are no costs to use the Studio, Media Workstations or to attend Media Center programs and classes.  

Please note that if Media Center equipment is damaged, lost, or returned late, fines may apply. 

Yes. You must be 18+ to use the Media Center facilities or attend programs and classes.

If you are under 18 years of age, please visit the recording studio in the Teen Center instead! The Teen Center is located in the basement of the Stavros Niarchos Foundation Library.

Yes, you may bring your own instruments or equipment to the recording studio within reason.  As per the policies and guidelines, Staff are not responsible for any damage to or theft of equipment that occurs on the premises. 

Upon arrival, you must show a printed or digital confirmation of your studio reservation to the security personnel at the Library entrance on 5th Avenue as you enter the building. When you arrive on the 6th Floor, please present personal equipment to the Media Center Staff when you check in for your session.  Staff will issue you a Property Pass for each item, which you will need to present to security on the way out of the building.

You may add up to 5 guests to your session in your booking.

Yes. You can cancel your reservation online up to 72 hours before the appointment is scheduled to occur.  If you need to cancel your reservation less than 72 hours in advance, you must get in touch with Media Center Staff directly by phone or by emailing studio40@nypl.org. 

Brief no-booking penalties will be incurred for late cancellations and no-shows (see our Terms & Conditions). Please be courteous of the high demand for the public facilities and cancel your reservation as soon as you know you will not be available so that others have a chance to book and use this space.  

Available studio sessions are listed on the studio40 booking calendar. Studio sessions are offered  Monday - Thursday and  Saturday. This schedule is subject to change and staff/volunteer availability.  

New studio reservation slots are listed on a rolling basis at 12:00 AM (midnight) two weeks in advance of the studio appointment date. Canceled studio reservations are also relisted on the booking calendar. 

Due to a high demand for studio time, studio reservations are often booked very quickly after they become available. 

Studio40 only books (2) weeks in advance, so if no sessions are currently available, please consider checking back as new sessions for (2) weeks ahead are listed every day or every few days.

Studio reservations are held for 15 minutes after they are scheduled to begin. After this, the booking will be counted as a no-show and penalties will be applied. No exceptions.

If you expect you will be late, please email studio40@nypl.org.

No. Food, drinks or liquids are strictly prohibited in the Studio and Control Room in the Media Center. Screw-top bottles are permitted only in designated areas so long as they remain closed.

Livestreaming from the Media Center or any Library facility is not permitted. Violation of this policy may result in having one’s access to the Media Center revoked.

You may not add the Library’s logos to your content or in any way represent that the content you create at the Media Center is endorsed by the Library without official consent of the Library.

Please feel free to use our social media handles and hashtags to connect:

#studio40 #NYPLTechConnect

It is the Library’s policy to routinely purge all user data from the computers in the Media Center.  Your files will be deleted when you leave your session (both at Media Workstations and in the Studio). Please be sure to save and render your files before your session ends.

Please get in touch with the TechConnect team via email at studio40@nypl.org.