Public Libraries, 3D Printing, FabLabs and Hackerspaces

We want to see 3D printing, FabLabs and Hackerspaces become a regular feature--in addition to its other services--at every public library in the country. This is a description of our proposal to create a FabLab in the Fayetteville Free Library and gives a brief introduction to what 3D printing is and how revolutionary it will be for those who are unfamiliar with it.

A FabLab is a fabrication laboratory (or a fabulous laboratory). A hackerspace is just a public library under a different name (although I'm not aware of any hackerspaces that are publicly funded, its time to change that!), it is a place where people gather to share their knowledge and help each other make whatever project they are currently working on.

This video was made in support of Lauren Britton-Smedley's proposal to create a pilot FabLab at the Fayetteville Free Library. This is Lauren's final project for the "Innovation in Public Libraries" class taught by Meg Backus and Thomas Gokey. In this class we look at avant-garde art from the past 60 years (social sculpture, relational aesthetics, institutional critique, interventionist practice, hacker/maker/DIY culture) and use it as a way to rethink what the library of the 21st century could be. We remain committed to the essence of a public library as a genuine commons, as a university of the people, as a place where the knowledge of past generations is preserved for present and future research, in short: as a democracy machine. Our class asks how to translate this essence of public libraries into our current situation. The class is, in some respects, run as a studio where each student proposes and then actually creates a project like this one.

Other students are working on organizing CSA drop offs through the public library network (http://www.nopl.org/adults/csa), creating a habitat garden at the LibraryFarm (http://www.nopl.org/library-farm), redesigning the bus schedules for our local public transit (badly needed), making a library's piano available to the public, and creating a self-watering, self-tweeting network of cacti with an Arduino (so that you don't over-water your cactus).

Category:

Science & Technology

Tags:

• Public Libraries
• 3D Printing
• 3D Printers
• MakerBot
• FabLabs
• Hackerspaces
• Syracuse University
• iSchool
• Meg Backus
• Lauren Britton-Smedley
• Thomas Gokey
• Fayetteville Free Library
• Library
• Libraries
• Social Sculpture
• Deomcracy
• Post Scarcity Economics

[gregtestagent]

We now have....Wonka-Vision!

[julzabro]

frickin wow!

[hexitex]

@mybluheaven your kidding right? reliable! have you seen their forums where everybody is moaning about failed dc motors! my Mendel has printed over 40kg without a problem - it's the builder and choices when it comes to DIY. Multiple head printing has been around for ages on many printers, you just have to implement it! And the new build area is better but still smaller than others. I think your taking the American position:)

[mybluheaven]

@hexitex I think you're taking the minority position that the RepRap is better. The MakerBot is much more reliable.

When we made this video the Ultimaker didn't exist yet. In some significant ways (mainly speed) it was an improvement over the MakerBot. But MakerBot is also releasing new printers which will continue to improve. The new MakerBot Replicator for example has a build area of 22.5x14.5x15cm and can print in multiple materials.

[hexitex]

@mybluheaven your statement is wrong about makerbot being the best DIY 3d printer, and i fail to see how you even came to this bold statement. With a build area of only 11*11*11 cm the makerbot is the worst of them all? The REPRAP variations have a min build area of 20*20*14 cm (x,y,z) also checkout ultimaker the quality is stunning compared to makerbots. The makerbot uses a dumb dc motor to extrude, where as everybody else is using steppers for real control! Why hang on makerbot?

[mybluheaven]

@kerimil Not paranoid, just curious. I'm very excited about the weird economy we might end up with and I'm considering writing my dissertation on the topic, so I'm always on the lookout for other people who are working in the same area.

[ArchitekOGP]

@mybluheaven Just from "AboveTopSecret" an online forum. This video was linked in a discussion about 3D printing.

[kerimil]

@mybluheaven

lol the chinease government paid me money to post comments like the one I just posted... you sir are paranoic

[mybluheaven]

@kerimil May I ask where you came across this video? I'm noticing an surge of recent comments but I can't tell where they're coming from.

[mybluheaven]

@timi0000 May I ask where you came across this video? I'm noticing an surge of recent comments but I can't tell where they're coming from.

[mybluheaven]

@ArchitekOGP May I ask where you came across this video? I'm noticing an surge of recent comments but I can't tell where they're coming from.

[mybluheaven]

@kerimil Second, our current factories are efficient when looked at within a certain framework, but from within a different framework they are very inefficient. They produce a tremendous amount of pollution and waste, the cost of which gets externalized. And they function on the backs of sweat shop labor, which is a tremendous waste of human potential and flourishing. 3D printing has a truly liberating potential, freeing workers to be creative makers instead of wage-slaves.