Does the phrase ?navigating your MIT world? have a familiar ring? That?s the tagline for Atlas, MIT?s online gateway to integrated applications, services, and resources ? from event planning to the Learning Center, from purchasing to Facilities? service requests.

Soon ?navigating your MIT world? will have a physical presence as well. With a nod to the success of Atlas online, the Atlas Service Center will open on the first floor of E17 (Building E17-106) on March 13. The Service Center will provide a single location where community members can receive in-person guidance about services and complete a range of in-person activities, from new employee orientation to getting a passport photo or a T-pass.

The unfolding A

As you enter the Atlas Service Center, you?ll see a large ?A? imprint in black laminate on the wall to your left. This is the updated Atlas logo, which will soon be visible online. The turned-up corner on its lower left represents the idea of unfolding, like a map to your MIT experience. This concept also makes reference to MIT as a place with a culture of curiosity where research pushes boundaries to uncover new ideas.

Unfolding is made manifest on the ?paper wall? in the Center, a place where visitors can affix comments and ideas they?ve jotted on Post-It notes that extend in interesting ways. The first theme for the paper wall is ?Our global community, make your mark,? with a map of the world on its surface.

The first occupant

While the Atlas Service Center is not yet officially open, its first occupant, the IS&T Walk-in Service Center, moved in on January 20. The walk-in center was located in this area of E17 before construction on the Atlas Service Center began, so it?s something of a homecoming.

IS&T?s walk-in center provides hands-on computing help and computer repair services to members of the MIT community. It is open now in the renovated space Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

A home for in-person, integrated services

In March, the Atlas Service Center will fill out its roster with services currently offered in the basement of the Stratton Student Center (Building W20) as well as from elsewhere on campus. These services are not simply being relocated but realigned in a new center with a focus on customer needs, where services are integrated.

Rather than standing in separate lines for, say, an ID card and a parking permit, you?ll be greeted by a staff member who can assist you with these and other services. Specialists will be available to answer more complicated questions and take care of specific functions, such as tax treaties for international community members.

Starting on March 13, you?ll be welcome at the Atlas Service Center (from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. on weekdays) for help with any of these services:

• ID cards and passport photos
• Commuting benefits (T-pass, parking and other options)
• I-9 employment eligibility verification
• Tax treaty guidance
• IT walk-in center and computer repair services (until 5 p.m. only)
• TechCASH
• Background checks and finger printing
• New employee orientation

More services may be added in the future, with satisfying customer experiences at the core. Meanwhile, stay tuned for ?unfolding? news of a Grand Opening Celebration on April 4.