Dave M has talked about the downtown library’s new makerspace at meetings…anyone going to the “grand opening” today?
http://www.cincinnatilibrary.org/news/2015/makerspace.html
I sort of checked it out when I was at the library this weekend (it was mostly roped off). The UV resin printer is their most exciting toy for me, although I’m not sure the space is really meant for grown-ups 
Mike
This is their ‘official’ site: http://www.cincinnatilibrary.org/main/makerspace.html
I was down today between classes. It’s a really nice open space. It seems to have a good portion of ‘arts and crafts’ type stuff, but they have do have bigger toys than for toddlers =P. 3 3d printers (makerbot replicator, Robo 3d, Rostock Max v2), the makerbot digitizer, the UV resin printer, a Vinyl cutter/printer, laser cutter/engraver, the UV resin printer, a soundproof recording studio, 3 sewing stations (same sewing machine, but does everything besides embroidery), 3d doodlers (which honestly seems to be a great tool to touch up prints that didn’t print properly), and they have computers packed with designing programs.
I grabbed paperwork for their stations (which I was told will be available on their website soon) and they’re sitting on the table in the meeting area. Depending on whether or not they get them put onto their website, I might try and make a wiki page detailing everything they have available.
I talked with Ella Mulford-Chinn, and she liked the idea of networking with us, so seems like a promising avenue for building connections. =)
Attached is their list of February’s event calendar.
![save_the_date[1].jpg](/uploads/default/original/1X/db1dbe2ac7046b185e04472ececb4d57949b9fd9.jpeg)
Yes, I was part of the committee here that planned and implemented the
library makerspace. I can answer _almost_ anything you want to know. Our
committee was done around the time Ella took over as the manager about a
month ago so I don't know everything she is doing anymore.
I think Hive13 and the library are going to be complementary spaces. The
library can do some things that Hive13 can't do and Hive13 can do some
things that the library can't do. It's probably in Hive13's best interest
to specialize in some of those things. Hive13 can be noiser, messier, more
dangerous, more cutting edge, we're open more/different hours, we have less
organizational/administrative overhead. The library has full-time staff, a
large budget, very prominent downtown location.
I meant to go upstairs to the grand opening but ended up being too busy
doing work here at my desk this morning.
If anyone ever wants to come down, I'd be happy to meet up with you to
check it out.
~Dave
Cool stuff! I think it would be great for Hive to find ways to collaborate with them. Maybe teaching a few classes on different techniques.
Dave, since you offered, here are 2 questions:
Is equipment reservation really only for 1 hour? That seems short, especially for 3D printers.
The website mentions paying a fee for consumables such as 3D printer filament. Would we be able to bring in our own material instead?
Mike
The 1 hour time is for the PC's that have all the software and is a remnant
of the fact that they are using the same reservation software that is used
everywhere else in the system. I'm not sure if the actual PC's that are
connected to the fabrication machines are themselves reserve-able. I think
the idea is that you can work on your design using the public PC's and when
you're ready, you ask for help getting your designs onto the computers that
actually make the objects.
I would guess that they probably don't want people bringing their own
filament for a few reasons.
From what I know, I think the process of using the equipment is intended to
be much more collaborative than e.g the regular laserjet printers. The
idea is that makerspace staff will work with you to get your thing printed
and possibly figure things out as you go.
I will say that library staff are used to "regulars" and I think they have
every intention of getting to know some of the more advanced users and so
people who are trustworthy might get more free reign to use equipment
unassisted, but as I'm sure you can imagine, it's not really possible to
just let anyone try anything right away.
I'm sure it will be evolving over time with input from the most frequent
users.
~Dave