The Ainsworth Public Library has been very pleased to have the Library Innovation Studio (Makerspace) available for the pubic to use the last five months. The Makerspace included components from the following categories: Digital Fabrication (3-D Printer, Laser Cutter, Vinyl Cutter, CNC Router); Electronics (Prototype Kits, Microcontrollers, Robotics); Textiles (Heat Press, Embroidery/Sewing Machine); Digital Media Creation (filmmaking/digital photography); Music technology; and specialized software, Button Maker, Laminator, and basic hand tools. This equipment was made available to our library through a grant from the Nebraska Library Commission. This project comes from a $530,732 National Leadership Grant by the Institute of Museum and Library Services. The Nebraska Library Commission had partnerships with the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Nebraska Innovation Studio, Nebraska Extension, and Regional Library Systems in Nebraska. This grant was to support community engagement and participatory learning experience for their citizens by providing access to technological and innovative learning tools not readily accessible locally.
The Makerspace gave our area the opportunity to see the benefits of these of these machines “up close and personal”. To have all of these different pieces of equipment in the Library and available for the public to use has been exciting. The very best way to get the word out is to show people. A Makerspace Show Case was held on April 2nd from 6-8 p.m. All the machines were up and running so people could see how they worked. We had around 40 people of all ages attend. It was great to see all the high school students show interest in this. People displayed items that they had created. The public was amazed with all the projects completed in the Makerspace.
Our Library had a number of local people volunteer to learn how to run the machines and then taught others and/or helped with creating projects. Appreciation Gifts provided by GJW Inc. and Local House 20 were presented to our local trainers. The trainers included Chandra Murray, Pat Jones, Mary Jo McCall, Tonya Cole, Schyler Schenk, DeAnn Morse, Donna Rudnick, Wanda Raymond, and Morgan Osborn.
The Door Prize winners included Jerry Ehlers, Jill McBride, Chuck Osborn, and Sam Wilkins. They each received glassware that was done with the laser cutter and vinyl cutting machine.
The Library has a short Makerspace Survey for the community to fill out. The Library is thinking about creating a small Makerspace and would like to learn which equipment/tools are important to the public. Your input on this questionnaire will help the Library ensure that the services and resources provided by our library continue to meet the needs and interest of our community. The survey is available in paper form at the Library and also on-line at the Ainsworth Library website (http://www.libraries.ne.gov/ainsworth).
Our library was one of the first four libraries to host the Makerspace. It was been a learning experience for us all. It is our hope that the community enjoyed this opportunity of learning and creating on the Makerspace equipment.
