Welcome to the Tech Desk

The Tech Desk is staffed with friendly and knowledgeable Stanford students who are ready to help you. Whether you need equipment, want to use a recording studio, pick up a poster, or edit a media project, the Tech Desk has you covered.

View our Tech desk hours and location.

Equipment Checkout

• All equipment is free for students to check out. 
• Most are 3-day checkouts and due by 2pm on the due date. Late fees do apply. 
• All patrons must sign the Patron Agreement Form in advance of check out. Complete the form at the Tech Desk or send a signed form to thetechdesk@stanford.edu.
• Some equipment is available on a drop-in basis. 
• Other equipment can be reserved in advance and check-out durations vary by equipment type. 

Find a list of equipment you can reserve in advance at the Patron Portal.

Tech Desk Policies

Questions about loaning options, extensions, and copies of relevant documentation should be directed to thetechdesk@stanford.edu. All late returns are subject to $5/day and will be remotely locked (if applicable) if not returned within 3 business days of their due date. Limit one resource per type per person.

The Tech Desk asks for all patrons of our services to sign the Patron Agreement form and to adhere to the following policies:

• All checkouts are expected to be returned by 2pm on the due date specified on the Checkout Confirmation.  
• Checkouts returned late will be subject to late fees.
• Patrons with unpaid invoices will not have access to additional Tech Desk resources until the invoice is paid in full.
• Checkouts overdue by 2 weeks will be charged for the full replacement fees of the equipment checked out. 
• Returning damaged or broken equipment will result in being charged for the repair or replacement of the equipment.
• The Tech Desk may reach out to patrons with active checkouts for information relating to the checkout and equipment. We expect responses within 2 weeks of first being contacted.  Should we not receive a response, the due date will be changed to the next business day and Tech Desk checkout privileges may be lost.
• Policy violations may result in loss of Tech Desk checkout privileges.

Computers

Two week checkout laptops are available to actively enrolled students whose personal machine is broken and are in the process of sending theirs in for repair, purchasing a new machine, or working with Financial Aid / Opportunity Fund to secure funding.

Students are able to reserve one of the following devices for a maximum of 2 weeks: 

• Intel MacBook Airs
• ASUS Chromebooks
• 4th Gen iPad Airs (with Apple Pencil and Keyboard). 

In order to renew the checkout computer at the end of the two weeks, students need to provide the Tech Desk with one of the following:

• Receipt of a new machine purchase 
• Repair shop receipt
• Communication with funding sources (i.e email correspondence)

If students are not able to provide documentation, they must return the MacBook Air, however they will be eligible to checkout one of the following, for an additional two weeks: 

• Chromebook
• iPad Air (with Apple Pencil and Keyboard)

If students are able to provide us with a receipt during these two additional weeks, we can swap their check-out back for a MacBook Air or extend the check-out of the Chromebook or iPad Air through that process. 

If no documentation is provided to the Tech Desk during these four weeks, the student must return the computer checkout on the due date. Students still needing computer access for coursework should use cluster machines in their residences or in the Learning Hub and 24 Hour Space.

iPads

All iPad kits come with the iPad, an Apple Pencil, a charger brick, a charging cable, and a case. Actively enrolled students are able to reserve a loaner iPad for one of the two durations below:

Short-Term (up to 3 Weeks)

• 3-Week iPads can be checked out for a maximum of three weeks per academic quarter. There is no extension option available beyond the three weeks. 

Quarter-Long (maximum 11 weeks)

• Extensions on Quarter-Long iPads depend on inventory and are possible at the discretion of The Tech Desk. 

The Center for Teaching and Learning has a specific iPad for Teaching & Learning program aimed to support TAs and teaching team members. We are prioritizing students in need of a loaner iPad for their enrolled courses, so please apply through CTL if applicable.

Monitors, Webcams, Apple Pencils 

Other equipment that can be checked out for an entire quarter are:

• 16” ASUS Portable Monitor. 
• Logitech Webcam
• 1st and 2nd Gen Apple Pencils

All extensions are dependent on inventory levels and at the discretion of The Tech Desk. 

1st and 2nd Gen Apple Pencil check-outs are only allowed for up to one quarter per academic year. If you find that an Apple Pencil is helpful with your academic work, we suggest you look into purchasing options for future quarters.

DSLR Cameras, Camcorders, Projectors, Speakers, Accessories

Our standard check-out policies apply to the rest of our loaner equipment, including, but not limited to:

All check-outs are for a maximum of 3 business days, with the option for one 3-day extension, depending on available resources, which the Patron can make in the Patron Portal. Any extension beyond these 6 days will cost $5 for an additional 3 business days. If a patron does not want to pay for an extension, they can return their equipment and re-check it out the following business day.

Tech Desk Support

Getting Started with Digital Media Production

Tech Desk student staff members are trained in the basic use of digital media equipment and software. If you need a quick orientation on how to use a special camera or how to get started editing a video, just ask. We are happy to help!

How-To Guides

Guides are available for those who have questions on how to use equipment. 

Students can also take advantage of Stanford’s subscription to LinkedIn Learning, which has a wealth of instructional videos on digital media production as well as other topics. 

Visit Stanford LinkedIn Learning website to authenticate with your SUNet ID in order to access the subscription.

Workshops

Tech Desk and other Learning Technologies & Spaces student staff members periodically offer workshops in the Learning Hub. Keep an eye on our homepage or ask when you visit the Tech Desk.