April 20, 2026
Contact: Sara Diedrich, diedrichs@missouri.edu
Photo courtesy of Ellis Library
At the heart of the University of Missouri campus, Ellis Library beats with tradition. Step through its front doors and you’re met with the hushed silence that defines university libraries — the smell of books, timeless architecture and treasured corners for study and reflection.
But within this familiar space, a new kind of learning environment is taking shape at Mizzou: a dynamic hub for digital learning and innovation that honors tradition while pushing the boundaries of the future. Celebrate National Library Week by learning more about the Digital Media and Innovation Lab (DMiL).
Building on a vision
Located on the first floor of Ellis Library, DMiL gives every student, regardless of major or experience level, the opportunity to explore technologies they might not otherwise have access to. Inside, a collaborative podcast studio accommodates small groups, while upgraded video equipment supports a range of creative projects. There is also a small, padded sound booth that allows students to record everything from voiceovers and interviews to original music, with some students even bringing guitars or ukuleles to practice and perform. Emerging technologies, such as 3D scanning and virtual reality, open entirely new creative possibilities, while a third-floor film studio provides space for more advanced video production.
DMiL is opening new ways to integrate library services. For example, a student can check out a DSLR camera from the circulation desk, film in the DMiL’s studio and then edit their footage on Mac computers in the information commons, all without leaving Ellis Library. It’s digital-age learning in a traditional space.
“Most media labs on university campuses are restricted to specific programs,” Joey Sabo, the lab’s manager, said. “Here, a student studying biology has the same access as someone in film or journalism.”
That open-door philosophy is intentional.
When Navadeep Khanal, head of teaching and learning services at Mizzou Libraries, first launched the lab in 2015, it was a modest operation focused on creating e-learning content for library instruction and training. But even then, the vision was bigger: a collaborative, campuswide resource where students could experiment, learn and tell stories in new ways. Over the past decade, that vision has steadily expanded, and by 2018, the lab officially opened its doors to students across all majors, removing barriers that can limit access to media-production spaces at other universities.
Training on the spot
If a student has never touched a soundboard or used a 3D scanner, help is built in. Sabo and a team of six trained student workers guide users through the process, offering hands-on support and even running trial recordings to build confidence.
“We make sure students understand how to use the equipment before they begin,” Sabo said. “It’s about making the experience approachable.”
Being available on the spot to train students is working. In fiscal year 2025 alone, the DMiL supported at least 576 users across 331 reservations — and the true number is likely higher because of group projects.
“This is an experimental space,” Khanal said. “It complements the Mizzou libraries’ traditional strengths by supporting new forms of scholarship, storytelling and digital learning.”
Expanding access
Soon, DMiL’s impact will extend through a dedicated classroom adjacent to the lab, designed for workshops, guided training sessions and course-integrated instruction in areas such as video production, podcasting and 3D modeling.
“It will also create a more visible and inviting learning environment that encourages students to explore these technologies, helping us move from providing access to tools toward building digital fluency and creative confidence across disciplines,” Khanal said.
The Mary Jane and Stephen D. Smith DMiL Training Center has been made possible through a generous gift from Rev. Ann Evans Self. She named the space in honor of her parents, who, along with her grandparents, James E. and Mary Potter Kunkler, inspired her Mizzou philanthropy. The family’s generosity across three generations has resulted in major gifts supporting Mizzou libraries.
Every semester, Khanal said, more students are discovering DMiL and seeing how its hands-on technology can transform their academic experience at Mizzou.
“This is a space for our students,” he said, “where ideas take shape and learning comes alive.”
