Audio Booth

Record and edit music and podcasts in the Main Library Creative Studio Audio Booth. The 8-foot-by-12-foot space is acoustically treated to provide a quiet space for audio recording and editing. One staff-led training session is required before you can reserve the booth independently. Patrons ages 14+ can work on self-directed projects. Children ages 13 and under require an adult caregiver. Read our policy.

A collage of two people recording music inside the audio booth and a view of the audio booth from the outside

Reserving & using the booth

Reservations can be made online, by calling 708.383.8200 (press 1), or by asking in-person at any library service desk.

Reservation limits

Reservations are limited to once a week, three hours at a time. Reservations must be made one week in advance and can be made up to four weeks in advance. Only two people allowed in the booth at a time. Please note that Creative Studio computers shut down 30 minutes prior to Main Library closing time. Reservations may be released if you arrive 15 minutes after your scheduled time.

File storage

Please bring your own external hard drive to save your work. Audio files are large and can take time to back up; please save at least 30 minutes of your time for saving your work before leaving. For your privacy, all user files are permanently erased from Creative Studio computers when they are restarted.

Noise level guidance

The booth is in a shared space with other workstations. While it is acoustically treated, it is not 100% soundproof. Please keep speaker volume levels low enough so as not to disturb other Creative Studio users. Amplifiers and drum kits are not permitted.

The booth is a do-it-yourself environment

Learning Labs are available for basic guidance with recording and editing. For more advanced questions, staff will share learning resources to help find answers to questions but will not work on projects for you.

Inside the booth

  • Microphones: two Shure SM7B vocal microphones, one Audio-Technica AT2021, and one Shure SM57
  • Arturia KeyLab Essential 61 MIDI Controller Keyboard
  • Arturia DrumBrute Impact Analog Drum Machine
  • Focusrite Scarlett 18i8 USB Audio Interface 
  • Software: Ableton LiveAudacity, Pro Tools Studio, and REAPER