Printable View
I'm just curious as my local library recently began 3D printing classes in the evenings, and they have made their 3D printer available to guests on a first come first serve basis. Are you finding that your local libraries have 3D printers available to guests now as well?
Nope. Not here.
Not likely in the UK. You are lucky to find a library that hasn't shut down.
Our local library [Exeter] has a Fab Lab inside with a number of technologies available.
https://www.fablabdevon.org/
In the Helsinki capital area, there are a number of libraries that jumped to the bandwagon 1-2 years ago. There is an online reservation system and they all seem to run with Ultimaker 2.
There's also a fablab at aalto.fi and some printers at helsinki.hacklab.fi
Not that I know of, could be worth going in and mentioning it to them. Might be some money in it.
Our local(christchurch,new zealand) library had a printer going during the school holidays,with a woman rabbiting on about it.
I think it was probably a sales pitch for the Ultimaker distributor.
I haven't seen it yet in the Netherlands but I like the idea of combining public libraries and fablabs.
There have been opening a few Fablabs but only in the order of 1 per city, and some more in Amsterdam.
There is a very good one here in Tilburg with a range of 3D printers and advanced laser and water jet cutting machines.
The local library received a generous donation from a family in the village years ago and was able to create a maker-studio in their basement. I've not been to other maker spaces, but I appreciate the thoroughness of the layout and workflow:
Attachment 9784
Pull any available notebook PC from their charging cart (or iMac stations) & enter the user's library card number (no previous setup necessary) This leads to a session featuring anything from the Adobe Suite, Lynda.com training access, Corel Draw, etc
After loading, tweaking, editing a project, send it to the library's
- - LulzBot FDM 3D Printer
- - Epilog Laser Cutter/Engraver
- - Vinyl Cutter
- - Computer-controlled Embroidery Machine
- - Wide-format Color Printer
According to a brief chat with one of the stewards, their 3D printer fleet initially consisted of several MakerBots and even the MakerBot Digitizer 3D scanner. The MakerBot reputation caught up to it as all these units are now non-functioning or at the very least ill-functioning and are better suited to collecting dust.
3D prints get charged according to the weight of the finished piece and their machine is more often than not running something when I stop in there. I visit only to use their Laser Cutter until the GlowForge arrives. Laser cuts are free provided the material brought in is clear of the prohibited materials list.
The library routinely offers classes that center on the 3D printer for various age groups of its patrons. Kids classes might involve using TinkerCad to 3D print keychains or cookie-cutters while the teen/adult class aims to 3D print model buildings.
It's heartening to see a community space being used for the next level of learning.