The Freedman Center for Digital Scholarship is adding new services for the fall 2025 semester to enable experimentation with language models and generative AI. As part of this initiative, all computers in the center’s lab will be upgraded and aligned with [U]Tech’s latest offerings in AI tools and programs.
In August 2025, the center will feature two high-end consumer desktops as sandboxes for researchers to explore the possibilities of generative AI, machine learning, and deep learning. These Windows machines have hardware that can locally run language models like Copilot and Llama. Running models locally allows for greater control over the models’ inputs and what documents it can access. It is also more secure and less expensive than running models on a cloud server. Adding this service in the center allows researchers to experience the possibilities of AI in their research without up-front costs and provides space for low-stakes experimentation.
The center’s AI sandbox computers will feature machine learning and generative AI programs such as Ollama and LM Anywhere alongside complementary Python libraries like PyTorch and LangChain. Software will be updated frequently to align with a rapidly changing field, and users will be able to request access to new software and models through the Center and [U]Tech.
The center is proud to provide this new service as an extension of its longstanding support of digitally enabled research and teaching. Other software in the lab includes the Autodesk Suite, Adobe Creative Cloud, R and RStudio, ArcGIS and geospatial mapping, Nvivo, network analysis, photogrammetry, multimedia capture and editing, and 3D modeling and animation. All computers in the center are more robust than a typical laptop, allowing researchers to work efficiently and quickly.
To accommodate the transition to new services, the center will close in July and the beginning of August 2025. Most services will be restored by the beginning of the fall 2025 semester. The closure will affect the following:
- Computers
- Scanners
- Audio and video digitization equipment
- Access to the Selfie Studio, A/V Digitization Studio, and Virtual Meeting room
Equipment lending and other library services will not be affected. Learn more about the transition at the Freedman Center Updates website. Questions and feedback are welcome at FreedmanCenter@case.edu.
The Freedman Center for Digital Scholarship is partially maintained by an endowment established by Samuel B. and Marian K. Freedman.