Consequently, the search for a location should be one of the first tasks lab planners tackle. There are numerous reasons for and against locating campus labs in one central location. An argument can be made that, in the case of public access labs, computing resources as well as personnel can be administered more efficiently in a centralized facility. On the other hand, there are obvious benefits to locating computer classrooms and limited access labs close to the population they serve. In most instances, this means locating such facilities in classroom buildings.
Faculty are more willing to teach in labs if they are located near their offices.
Also, students working on assignments in labs will be more likely to seek out a professor for assistance if the professor's office is near the lab. When a primary objective of a lab is serving students living on campus, many campuses have chosen to locate their public access labs in residence halls. In addition, dorm labs can often be kept open longer than labs located in buildings that, for security reasons, must be locked in the early evening. Many campuses report that dorm labs have higher usage rates than other labs on campus because they're more conveniently located. Soon after a location has been agreed upon, lab planners will need to consult with representatives from the organization that has agreed to house the lab, in order to resolve such issues as who will be responsible for which lab functions and who will pay for each of the lab's operating expenses.