Space updates | Makerspace

Signs with QR code and shortened URL to 3D printer reservation forms and calendars were placed near each printer.

We have a few exciting updates for the makerspace for winter term.

Reserving 3D printers: We’ve implemented a much easier method that uses a combination of Google Forms, the add-on Data Director for Forms, and Google Calendar to reserve the 3D printers and display availability. QR codes and shortened URLs placed near each printer are helping students to quickly see what’s available and make reservations.
Makerspace Club updates: The student makerspace club has been paired with a child in need of a prosthetic hand through e-Nable and has begun planning the creation of the custom prosthetic.
Glowforge! We’ve placed our order for a Glowforge laser cutter and hope to receive it this summer.
Winter term training: Open training sessions are scheduled for Mondays at 2:30 pm and Thursdays at 11 am.
New furniture and space reorganization: We’ve moved some stuff around to make student projects in process storage more visible- and we’re trying out stools on wheels for more flexible seating. Let us know what you think!
Our mini soldering station with the new rolling stool. We may fill the space with these.

Bookshelf near the makerspace entrance for student projects in process.

The makerspace is located in the first floor of the Seeley G. Mudd Library on the Lawrence University campus. The library was selected as a home for the makerspace because a campus library already maintains a reputation as a central place for all to gather. Students, faculty, and staff from a wide variety of majors and departments feel comfortable and welcomed in the library. The first floor of the library is the group study floor, which is almost always filled with students working together and interacting. This environment and reputation fit perfectly with a makerspace, as they traditionally provide a space where people gather and exchange ideas.

After we received funding for the equipment, it was time to get the space ready. The room in which the makerspace is housed was formerly our media center, a space which had seen little use in recent years. It was made up of a small office surrounded by an L-shaped work space. To make the space more constructive for a makerspace, we decided to take down a couple of walls and turn it in to one large space. While taking down a couple of walls may sound like a small job, anyone who has been part of a renovation project knows that it can be a pretty complex undertaking. The room contained many cabinets and pieces of furniture that had to be carefully removed and stored, as well as a large pillar that functions as a building support. After the walls were removed, we were able to reuse much of the original cabinetry. While there were many factors to consider, the renovation project began in early July and was completed by early August.

This project came together very quickly, thanks to Steve Armstrong in Technology Services, Provost Dave Burrows, Library Director Pete Gilbert, and of course, our friends in Facility Services.