By Pepper Parr
November 15th, 2022
BURLINGTON, ON
There was a time when libraries were about books.
Today you can borrow videos and you can now book some time in what is known as the Makers Space – a shop on the third floor of the library.
Not a book in see.
Large format printers; 3D printers, embroidery machine and laser cutter – all in a library
There are two laser cutters, there is a 3D printer, and there is software galore along with two printers – one a large format.
Ryan Miller on the right working out a problem with a “customer”.
Who uses the Maker’s Space – anybody and any one. Some people come in knowing precisely what they want to do said Ryan Miller the man who co-ordinates everything.
Others he added have an idea and they need some help figuring out how to do it – not knowing just what there is in the way of equipment.
The creative stuff runs the gamut from making buttons that you pin on to an embroidery pattern that you want to cut into a piece of plastic or wood.
While it works better for everyone if you make an appointment – the hours of operation are:
Monday, Friday and Saturday: 10:00 am to 4:00 pm
Tuesday and Thursday: 10:00 am to 8:00 pm
There are no fees.
Ryan Miller: brings a quiet, reserved approach to helping people figure out the best way to solve a problem.
The Maker’s Space is really for the imaginative. There are some inquisitive kids that would spend the rest of their lives in the place – trying ideas that have never been done before.
Those that walk in are evenly split in terms of gender; run from five to 55 and beyond.
Walk into the place with an idea and you may well come out with a finished product.
Make sure you bring a memory stick with you – you will probably take some software files you created and want to work with at home.
This is a place where every parent would love their kids to spend time at.
Said it many times before and will say it again our library is brilliant.