Printing Arts Lab

Contact Us

Weekly Hours

Monday-Thursday:
11 AM - 4 PM

Friday-Sunday:
Closed

Help & Instruction

The Printing Arts Lab (PAL) at Fenwick Library offers research poster printing and research poster design consultations for George Mason University students, staff, and faculty.

Have a question? See Frequently Asked Questions below.

Poster Printing

George Mason affiliates can print research posters at no cost.

Submit your request via the form.

Please submit at least 3 business days in advance of your desired pick-up date.

A George Mason email (@gmu.edu) is required for this service.

For Faculty & Coordinators

Instructors and program coordinators may wish to submit several posters on behalf of a class or other group. However, these batch submissions are difficult to accommodate; our service primarily supports individuals.

For that reason, we kindly encourage instructors and coordinators to observe the following:

Please have your researchers individually submit their own finalized posters.
If posters are the products of a group effort, instruct each group to designate a single group member to submit the group's finalized poster, in order to avoid repeated submissions by other members.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long will it take for my poster to be printed?

Your poster must be submitted at least 3 business days in advance of your desired pickup to ensure that PAL staff have time to process it. Requests for shorter turnaround times are not feasible due to low staff availability.

What's the maximum printing size?

At least one side of your poster must remain at or below 36 inches. The other side can be as long as you need, as long as one side remains within this range.

How many posters can I submit?

Individuals can request up to two posters per week. Any submissions beyond this limit may be denied service. Weekly caps are cleared each Monday.

What sort of requests can you print?

We print research posters and other academic materials. Common examples include:

Research posters for academic conferences
Posters for in-class use
Posters for Registered Student Organizations
Signage for George Mason events

PAL does not print personal or commercial requests. Approved requests must have educational import or otherwise demonstrably support the public activities of individuals or organizations at George Mason.

Can you print posters on non-paper media like fabric?

No, we currently only print on heavyweight coated paper.

When and where do I pick up my poster?

Posters can be picked up from the Information Desk on the first floor (where you would also check out circulating materials) during Fenwick Library's opening hours.

Posters cannot be returned or stored with the Information Desk. Once you have picked up your poster, it is considered your personal property, and University Libraries are not responsible for individuals' personal property. As per the Lost & Found Items Policy, the Information Desk does not hold items for drop-off. Please seek other ways to store or discard your poster if needed.

I need help with designing my poster!

One-on-one poster design consultations are available in-person or online. Schedule via the "Help & Instruction" section in the sidebar.

I submitted my poster but I haven't heard back yet!

We don't send confirmation emails upon submission, but you will see a confirmation page. We'll notify you by email when your poster is ready.

Where can I download a research poster template?

The Office of Student Creative Activities and Research (OSCAR) provides templates. Download them here.