The Global Engagement Office (GEO) at FGCU wanted to provide a resource that gives international and study abroad students easy access to take passport photos. As result, a photo booth has been introduced to the library, which is located by the first-floor classrooms, across from Starbucks.

The GEO contacted other universities that shared common challenges of their students bringing in photos that couldn’t be used for their passports. After doing research, this photo booth was found.

“We had clients come in to get their passports done and something was off with their picture. It either was too far away, too grainy, or the quality wasn’t good enough, so we would have to have them go back to CVS or wherever they went to get a passport picture taken,” Ivana Batkovic, the coordinator of international programming at the Global Engagement Office, said. “And then we thought, hey, why don’t we get a photo booth here on campus, so people don’t have to leave campus and come back, they could just go to the library and get a passport picture taken.”

The photo booth has many features besides taking passport-quality photos, which are $12.99 apiece. It takes traditional photo booth pictures for $5, prints up to 10 pictures from your phone at 50 cents each, and takes professional portraits that students can use for their LinkedIn profiles for $5.

“It’s been used a little bit this summer, but it’s been pretty quiet. I’m really hoping that students will take advantage of it because it’s a great service,” Anna Karras, the library marketing and communications coordinator, said.

There is no app required for using the photo booth. The feature of printing photos from your phone requires the students to text a number displayed inside the booth. Students can receive digital copies of the photos they take by entering their emails.

“We are always having students ask us about how to get a professional headshot, but we have only been able to provide them during career fairs. It is really cool to see how versatile the machine is,” Lexi Velte, a student and career advisor for the university, said. “I think this is really beneficial for students because LinkedIn profiles with headshots are expected of young professionals now, and this creates an accessible and relatively affordable way to do that.”