Web-Based Tools — Photography Studio and Equipment Booking Tool

I built this tool while I was working at Langara College because we had a very real need for a web-based tool but Lanagara College was not able to provide us with the server space or technology. I host this tool on my server as a favour to my friends and colleagues in the Professonal Photo-Imaging Program.

This tool allows students to log-in from anywhere and search studios, workstations and equipment resources for availability. When they have found what they need they can reserve the resource. Students can modify their own reservation but not that of others. Faculty and staff can modify any reservation. Since 1st year students are not permitted to use all equipment used by 2nd year students, equipment available is tailored to the student's logi-in. Likewise, 1st year students have access to fewer studio hours than 2nd year students and this tool prevents students from using more studio time than permitted.

When the students presents themselves to collect their camera equipment, the tool has a ready-made agreement listing the student name and the equipment they have reserved. Staff print the form and the student signs to accept responsibility to return the equipment in good working order by the time specified in the reservation.

The Equipment Booking screen (right) shows all bookings for a month as coloured blocks. Below the calendar is the form to create a new booking.

The Studio Search form (below) accepts studio type, purpose and target timeframe as search criteria: