It’d been awhile since I’d stepped into a library. In fact, there were still probably card catalogs in use the last time I visited a library. I had zero context for what I was about to experience when I recently walked into the downtown branch of the Cincinnati Public Library.
Fellow creative Margot Madison had invited me down to join her and record an episode of The Juice Cast. She suggested the library for the recording session, and I wasn’t sure how it’d all play out but went with it. When I rolled up that afternoon, I stood frozen at the entry for several minutes. Big city agency or a common area at the local library?
The space had the feel of an Apple store – open, inviting and full of creative tools that are just waiting for you to touch and experiment.
If you’re not familiar with the MakerSpace, check out the who, what, where and when on the library’s page. And while I’m doing it a disservice by attempting to summarize all it offers, here’s the gist:
* The 9,000 square foot space opened earlier this year
* It has tons of amazing tools with which you can create ANYTHING (e.g. 3-D printers, laser cutters/engravers, a recording studio, photography stations, vinyl printers)
* It’s open to ANYONE.
As libraries continue to grow and adapt in this increasingly digital age, the MakerSpace is a great way to engage the community and offer new worlds to explore beyond books. Lucky us.
From their manifesto:
Make
Making is fundamental to what it means to be human. We must make, create, and express ourselves to feel whole. There is something unique about making physical things. These things are like little pieces of us and seem to embody portions of our souls.
Jody says
I recently was seeking information about printing a book. Stumbling upon this particular library, I found the service provided for self publishers so helpful, so easy. Their website takes you step by step through their process.
Unfortunately, they are not able to print color photos which I have in my book. No doubt they will as more libraries provide these services.