The Media Equipment Pool at the Rochester Museum and Science Center provided access to portable video tools to the Rochester community. The program was separated from the Museum by 1972 and became a program of the newly formed Portable Channel.

"The Media Equipment Pool was funded by the NYSCA to the Rochester Museum and Science Center to establish a pool of equipment to be used by local artists and community organizations. We have some Sony 1/2" Porta Paks and some editing support systems. Since beginning in July, we have managed to establish a core of video production people and have loaned equipment to more than 50 groups and individuals for projects ranging from personal feedback experiences to political and cultural documentaries. We have been involved with projects involving the school's crisis, police education, the Women's movement, migrant workers, educational experiments and Attica. We are now attempting to think about getting involved in fewer projects with more depth, supplying greater technical and programming expertise to community organizations which have specific projects in mind, with specific plans for playback. We have no cable system in Rochester yet, so a tape distribution system is one of our current concerns. We think of ourselves as a model community programming resource for cable and are lobbying community access channels and community programming centers when it comes... Please let us know if you are interested in exchanging tape. Our library is just beginning to include edited tape."
          -Bonnie Klein, Coordinator Media Equipment Pool, Rochester Museum and Science Center
          -Letter to Ralph Hocking, October 14, 1971