New Makerspace in Va

[The_Welding_Library_Guy]

Hey all,

I have been working for a while to get a makerspace opened up at the college I both attend and work at. I acutely found out about the job I now have. Because almost two years ago I came up to library to speak with the director about a makerspace. At the time it wasn't in the cards but now almost two years later. I'm setting up the makerspace that brought me here. Kinda funny how things come full circle sometimes.

Any ways. The makerspace is called the Make It! Creative Lab. For the first few years the plan is keep it a relatively small maker space that is housed in our main campus library. But we do have preliminary plans to expand into a larger makerspace complete with wood and metal working tools and other equipment that isnt feasible to have in a library (welders and books don't go well together) The long term plan is to have this full sized makerspace become a main feature of our extended campus.

Just the other day we put in the purchasing order for two 3-D printers with multi material heads, A CNC router and CNC laser cutter head, and other smaller items such as a shop vac, tools, and of course safety gear. I am also personally donating some equipment and am working on getting more equipment and parts in for an electronic education table. I am hoping that over time I will be able to get a hold of a function generator, power supply, arduino breakouts to build out the EE table in to a great resource.

My hope is that the equipment we ordered will start arriving over spring break next week and I will be able to get right to work on setting it up. Accounting for potential delays, setup and calibration, and other factors. I'm shooting for a opening as early as 2-3 weeks from now

One of the cool things about our maker space is that we are an academic library so naturally it is a resource for students, but I was able to get it set up in a way that we are able to welcome community makers with open arms!  So if you are in the area or even just passing through come by and see us. The library is Wampler Library on the MECC campus in Big Stone Gap VA. We are kinda cradled in the East TN, East KY, Southwest VA area

Also I am only one guy and so I cant possibly be a expert in everything that we are eventually going to cover in the Makerspace. So if any you did have a desire to become involved and help out whether that be support with expertise, equipment, resources, offering to teach a workshop, Ideals, or suggestions. please feel free to contact me. I want to build a lasting makerspace that is built by makers and for makers and I think the only way to do that is to get input from other makers

Thanks guys

(attached below are photos of the space the Make It! Creative Center has been allocated)