Terms & Conditions

During term time equipment may be booked, collected, and returned within the following days and times. The Technical Services counter (level 4, Institute) is also open within these time frames.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Please note, from 5pm Monday to Friday, and at weekends, Technical Services is staffed by LIPA students and therefore service is limited to collection and return. Emails are also not monitored during this time.

All equipment (other than what is listed below in the exceptions list) must be booked in advance via our resource booking platform, Smarthub.

Smarthub can be found via MyDay under ‘My Bookings’ followed by ‘Equipment Bookings,’ or alternatively via https://lipa.siso.co

Your login for this is your LIPA email address and password, authenticated via Microsoft/Office365

Equipment bookings via Smarthub must be submitted at least 2 working days before your intended collection date and time. This is so we can ensure there is enough turnaround time on bookings. We strongly advise you book further in advance of 2 working days though.

Saturdays, Sundays, and Mondays are the exception, for which bookings must be requested by 4pm on the Thursday before at the latest. This allows 2 working days before your booking for your equipment to be processed (where possible).

You are not permitted to make back-to-back bookings (e.g., Monday-Wednesday, Thursday-Saturday) of the same equipment.

All equipment must be collected within 1 hour of your chosen collection time (except for music equipment as mentioned below, which is ad-hoc). Any booking which is not collected within this period will be automatically cancelled.

Whilst we will endeavour to meet all requests, we reserve the right to reject any such requests based on it being too short notice, maintenance issues, timetable issues (such as rescheduled teaching sessions), lack of resources, or time of year.

Some equipment may be taken off campus permitting it is related to an assessment or LIPA related project. More information on this can be found below under the ‘Off Campus’ section.

Equipment may not be taken outside of the UK without the written consent of the Technical Services Manager. Equipment which is intended to be transported by air must also have written consent. You should request consent for these at least two weeks before your intended collection date

If you have any questions about the information above, please contact Technical Services at tech.services@lipa.ac.uk or visit us in person.

Collecting Video Equipment

Lockers

It is more than likely that you will be collecting your video equipment from a locker, designated to you by a member of staff. The lockers can be found on the corridor which runs alongside the TV studio on the ground floor of the Institute building. You must book this as part of your equipment request.

At the start time of your booking, please go to Technical Services (Level 4, Institute, next to the main goods lift). Give your name and advise you are collecting a ‘Film Key’. One will be waiting for you to collect. Please ensure you have your LIPA ID card with you as you will need it to check the key out. You can’t collect a key on behalf of another student.

Collecting equipment on behalf of another student without staff consent may result in your access to resources being suspended.

Once you have collected the key, go to the relevant locker as mentioned above, and collect your equipment.

You are free to collect and return the equipment to the locker as many times as you like during your booking period (e.g., if you have a break and do not want to carry it around). However, you must not store personal items within lockers.

When your booking has finished, you must return your equipment to its designated locker exactly as you found it (including batteries out of cameras), and then return the key to Technical Services. If for whatever reason the counter is closed, then you may hand the key into Security desk at our Cathedral Foyer/Pilgrim Street entrance and provide them with your name.

Off Campus Use

You may take some equipment off our campus for LIPA project/assessment purposes. This is dealt with on a case-by-case basis by the Technical Services Manager.

At the point of checkout in Smarthub, you must select which project/module you are booking the equipment against. You should do this even if you are not asking for off campus permission where possible. If you are working on a project/assessment which requires you to take equipment off campus, but isn’t listed, please email smarthub@lipa.ac.uk with the relevant details, and a member of staff will investigate it for you.

You must also make your intentions of taking equipment off campus by selecting ‘Yes’ or No’ to “Off Campus Use Request?”.

To request off campus use, you must submit a risk assessment form via Smarthub, which can be found under ‘Menu’ (top left), ‘Advanced Menu’, ‘Risk Assessment’. This should be completed after submitting your booking request.

You can find a tutorial on completing a risk assessment here or via MyDay by going to Learning Support > Technical Services > Siso (left-hand menu bar).

Taking equipment off our campus without consent will result in your access to resources being suspended.

Checked over

Please check the equipment over carefully to ensure no parts are missing or damaged. If there are items missing or damaged, please notify us immediately at tech.services@lipa.ac.uk.

We try to ensure that all batteries are fully charged before usage, and always provide a charging device where needed. However, it is your responsibility to ensure there is enough time to check batteries before usage.

Looked after

If you live in shared accommodation, do not leave the equipment unattended in communal areas (e.g., living room, kitchen). Before leaving any remote location, you should conduct a thorough check of the premises/area to ensure that all items have been accounted for. We advise you to use your booking confirmation as a checklist for this. Under no circumstances should you leave equipment in cars, vans, taxi, etc.

Returning Video Equipment

Well Packed

Failure to pack your equipment correctly can often result in damage to the equipment which can have a knock-on effect to other staff and students. Your equipment must be returned and packed the way you were shown during demonstrations, inductions, and as it was provided to you, with all bags/cases packed exactly how it was provided to you (with items in the correct pockets of the bags).

You should ensure batteries are removed from any cameras, cables are untangled, etc. Failure to return equipment in a suitable state may result in your access to resources being suspended.

Clean

All equipment should be returned in a clean and dry state. The equipment should be protected in all circumstances especially when working outdoors. If you return your equipment in a poor state, you will be asked to clean it. If you intend on taking the equipment to external locations such as the beach, please ensure the equipment is protected from the elements. Equipment such as tripods must be cleaned before they go back in the bags as they can get muddy and sandy. Failure to return equipment clean may result in your access to resources being suspended.

On Time

Equipment must be returned at the time originally stated in your booking. Returning equipment late can have significant effect on other students who are due to pick up the equipment after you. Book your equipment to fit around your schedule to ensure it is returned on time. Failure to return equipment on time may result in your access to resources being suspended.

Broken/Damaged Equipment

It is your responsibility to return the equipment exactly as it was loaned to you. Please check the equipment over carefully after you collect it and before you give it back, to ensure no parts are missing or damaged. If they are, please notify us at tech.services@lipa.ac.uk.

At all times, you are expected to exercise reasonable care in the use of equipment owned or leased by LIPA, particularly when equipment is taken off the premises. We accept that from time to time, accidents may happen, or incidents occur which result in loss or damage to LIPA equipment. In the first instance, you should email tech.services@lipa.ac.uk with a full detailed account of any incident.

In the event of any loss or damage sustained to such equipment resulting in financial loss to LIPA, the Technical Services Manager, Group Director of Finance, and Chief Executive Officer, will investigate the circumstances leading to the loss.

If, in the opinion of these members of staff, the loss has occurred as the result of a negligent, malicious, or wilful act, then LIPA will seek full replacement costs (in the event of loss), or for the cost of repairs (in respect of damage).

You are signifying your agreement to these Terms and Conditions at the checkout point on Smarthub.

Usage of Equipment

University equipment or facilities are to be only used for LIPA related work. Under no circumstances must you swap or lend equipment with another student or staff member without informing the relevant department first.

As stated throughout this policy, communication is a key element, and it is important that you regularly check your LIPA emails. Smarthub will automatically send you updates, and confirmations related to your bookings. We will also use email as our main communication to you if there are any issues.

We suggest that you synchronise emails to your phones, tablets, and laptops where possible. Further information and guidance on setting this up can be found via the LRC (Learning Resource Centre).

We suggest you check them at least three times per day; morning, midday, evening.

It is your responsibility to continually check emails, and we are not responsible for any bookings/communications which are missed due to you not checking in regularly.

As staff and students of LIPA, you have a right to use its practice and music room facilities, that right places responsibilities on you as a user, which are outlined below. If you misuse the facilities in a way that constitutes a breach or disregard of the following policy, consequences associate with that breach will result in a withdrawal of privileges.

4. Report any damage or problems to Technical Services immediately after your session via faults.lipa.ac.uk, email (tech.services@lipa.ac.uk) or directly to the Technical Staff at the bunker.

Remember: Always leave the room in a respectable state ready for the next rehearsal.

smarthub terms and conditions of use
As a user of this system registered or otherwise you agree that if for any reason you are unable to use smarthub for the intended purpose then you will contact your store via telephone, email or in person to resolve the problem. Siso Software Limited are not responsible or liable in any way for any errors, damages or any other loss caused by your usage of this system. For the avoidance of doubt this includes any loss howsoever suffered including negligence or fraud except where such negligence causes death or personal injury.