Have you ever wanted to explore 3D printing? Laser engraving? Sublimation? Button making? In the greater Dayton area, we have several library maker spaces to explore these opportunities plus some!
- Washington Centerville Library has Creative Commons hosted at Washington Township RecPlex.
- Mary L Cook has The Studio located in its building in Waynesville.
- Troy-Miami County has its Maker Lab next door to the Main Branch on the second floor.
- Greene County hosts Spark Place at its Xenia location. It’s currently under renovation but a “Mini-Library” is open with access.
Library websites are the first step when thinking of pursuing a project. They’ll have information about what machines are available, pricing, materials needed or available for purchase, and scheduling. They will often have instructional pages for creating your file at home before coming in.
YouTube is another great resource when planning out your project. There’s information abounds with tips, tricks and ideas.
I’ve shared some Instagram Reels with some of my family’s fun at different maker spaces:
My biggest tip is to ask for help. If this is totally new, see if you can stop by before your appointment time. Make sure you understand what materials and files you have in mind to check if they can work in that maker space. Ask directly if you need more hands-on help. It helps them plan accordingly and you wait less during your appointment.
Oh! And any Ohio resident can get any Ohio library card. Some of these places are less convenient to travel to, but if they have the availability and machine you’re looking for, a trip can be made.
There are many places to create with libraries around Dayton. Let us know if you are inspired to check them out!
