We’ve had a very early model 3-D printer at the library since pre-Covid. It’s a mini actually, able to print small charms, bookmarks and even an occasional fish or gnome.
It sounds like a droid when it’s working.
But it hasn’t worked for a while. The printer needs older connection cables and it’s not wireless. We don’t have a lot of space. The software got lost somewhere along the way as we replaced our patron computer tower.
For the longest time, we’ve been trying to set up a general Create Space for patrons, but again, we’re so busy, that that idea kept getting back-seated.
But for four days now, the nearby Deerfield Fair is up and running, and that means this is the slowest long weekend of the year for our library. Everybody is over there. Plus, it was a rainy, blah kind of Thursday.
So, we blew the dust off the droid and plugged it in. Honestly, I didn’t even expect it to work. But after our miracle working staff figured out the cable situation and downloaded the proper software, the old electric jalopy binged and clanged to life and we were up and running and creating a tiny orange dinosaur.
Now, the real challenge… what in the world do we do with a loud, old, mini-3-D printer? What’s the practical application for our patrons and community? Much discussion ensued.
We can’t just leave it out in the open for anybody to come play with it. It’s not appropriate for toddlers or little kids. For adults, there’s much faster and bigger 3-D printers out there in the real world. Space and staff time is always at a premium around here.
So, what patron would be most interested and would most benefit from a very very slow and basic 3-D printer?
Our answer literally walked in. The middle school let out next door and a couple members of our teen group came tromping in.
“Hey,” I said, “either of you interested in learning about and doing some 3-D printing?”
“Are you kidding!” one shouted. “For real?”
I nodded my head in the direction of the front room. “Go on, we’re making a dinosaur.”
They literally dropped their bags and ran up front.
We found our audience. Stay tuned friends, coming soon to a teen group near Auburn, Friday afternoon 3-D workshops.
I had nearly forgotten one of the primary tenants of librarianship - there’s always an audience, you just have to find them and provide for them.
Made my heart happy - love the idea of middle school kids gathering and interacting with each other. Plus learning new skills and not just spending time with devices.
Your daily emails keep me in hope that there is so much good in this world. I look forward to each email and post on facebook. Keep up the awesome work!