Pine-Richland Makerspace to offer place to work on projects, share ideas
Unleash your inner designer or engineer.
Northern Tier Regional Library in Richland invites people of all ages to unbridle and explore their creativity in the Pine-Richland Makerspace opening Feb. 29 in the library's Pine Center, located at Pine-Richland High School in Pine.
It's where people can gather to work on do-it-yourself projects as they share tools — such as a 3-D printer on order — and swap ideas.
The Pine-Richland Makerspace also is a part of a growing network of such community spaces for unstructured learning and exploration in electronics, computer programming, graphic design, arts and crafts.
“Kids can do whatever they want. ... Part of the movement is to get young people back into making things and learning how to build things,” said reference librarian Brad Wulfkuhle, 39, one of several Northern Tier Regional Library staffers set to welcome and guide Pine-Richland Makerspace guests.
Contributions from the Sprout Fund and Mae Dreier Memorial Fund will help pay for materials and support the Makerspace, which occupies a room connected to the library in the high school.
“The population we're trying to target is teenagers,” said Janina Kvedaras, 36, children's and youth librarian at Northern Tier Regional Library.
“We feel we need to upgrade our teen services and what better way is there to do that than here?”
The Pine-Richland Makerspace will be available from 2:30 to 5:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday.
Each Monday, a facilitator will introduce a specific project, perhaps related to electronics, sewing or another creative craft, such as woodworking or knitting.
The library seeks prospective facilitators willing to share their expertise in such skills.
“There's no curriculum,” Kvedaras said. “We're going to offer a small project each Monday.”
Among upcoming projects, guests will use new and recycled materials to make Alexander Calder-style mobiles from 2:30 to 5:30 p.m. March 7.
A project that weds origami and LED lights is planned for March 14.
Guests will create pin-on buttons on March 21.
On opening day — Feb. 29 — visitors will be invited to participate in an impromptu art show.
Pipe cleaners, beads, Little Bits electronics, looms and a brand new Brother ScanNCut cutting machine, among other materials, will be available for use to create an original work of art.
One work will be selected to earn a $50 Amazon gift card for its maker.
Deborah Deasy is a Tribune-Review staff writer. Reach her at 724-772-6369 or ddeasy@tribweb.com.
