The end of the semester is often accompanied by deadlines for semester-long projects and final papers (including the infamous Dean’s Date deadline, which past correspondent Ryan Champeau has amazing advice on!). For some classes, students may be asked to create an academic or research poster and present their work to their peers in a poster session. A couple of courses I have taken where I produced a final research paper were COS 484: Natural Language Processing and ASA 238: Asian-American Psyches.
In ASA 238, the department provided funding so that all students in the class could have their poster printed through Princeton Print & Mail Services. However, this option typically is not free-of-charge to students. Moreover, since this process typically takes 4-5 business days after the proof is approved to be printed, course instructors may set conservatively early deadlines so that all students’ posters may be printed on time. With more deadlines in other classes, this can create additional stress.
The great news is, this stress can be avoided with a free, straightforward alternative: utilizing the Makerspace’s Large Format Printer. The Princeton University Library (PUL) Makerspace is a creative space on the A-level of the Lewis Science Library open to current students, faculty, and staff. If you’ve never used the space before, it might be daunting, but I hope this article will clarify the process and assuage any fears you may have!
Step 1: Create your poster
This article won’t focus too much on how to actually create a research poster, but the Princeton University Library has some great research guides with poster templates here and general resources on creating posters here to help you get started! You should double check your project requirements, but posters are often 36″ x 48″, 24” x 36”, or 18” x 24”. An important step is to download your poster as a PDF (or Adobe Illustrator file) to your device. Please proofread your file ahead of time and be sure your file is in dimensions you desire—if you need help resizing your PDF, this resource recommended by PUL is helpful.
Step 2: Reserve a printing session
The Large Format Printer is available by reservation only, and walk-ins may be turned away if the printer is scheduled for use by someone else. You can make a 30-minute printing slot here. While there is often quite a bit of availability, scheduling an appointment as soon as possible can help ensure that you have a slot to print before your deadline!
Step 3: Arrive at the Makerspace
Be sure you have enough time to walk to your appointment and find the Makerspace in the basement of the Lewis Library. When you arrive, let the staff member or assistant at the front desk know that you have a reservation and that you’d like to print with the Large Format Printer. They may ask you what type of paper you would like to use: I have found that the 24” heavyweight matte paper is perfect and not too flimsy!
Step 4 (optional): Ask for a USB or adapter
If you do not have one on hand, you can ask the front desk for a USB—you’ll use this to transfer the PDF of your poster to the printer. If you (like me!) use a Macbook, you can also ask for a USB-C to USB-A adapter. Then, copy or drag your PDF to the USB.
Step 5: Print your poster 🙂
The staff member or assistant should be able to help you put in the paper and provide you with instructions on how to print. You’ll be able to print two 24″ x 36″ posters or one 36″ x 48″ poster per month (every 30 days). This is an important limit to keep in mind if you have multiple posters you need to print!
Additional tips & suggestions
The Makerspace has rubber bands that you can use to roll up your poster. There is also a large paper cutter, if for any reason you need to cut or resize your poster. For more information, please visit the official PUL guide.
I hope that these instructions and tips can help you and make the end-of-semester business a little less hectic. If you are interested in learning more about other research-related resources at Princeton, please don’t hesitate to reach out to me at alexiswu@princeton.edu. Wishing you the best with your research endeavors!
— Alexis Wu, Engineering Correspondent
