With the rise of the maker movement in the mid-2000s came the creation of
“maker spaces,” places where people with shared interests and ideas could
come together to create and engage with tools and technology and learn from
each other. In July 2013, the Harold Washington Library opened the first
publicly accessible maker space in Chicago, the Harold Washington Maker
Lab.
Harold Washington Maker Lab Mon-Thu 1-8 PM, Fri-Sat 10 AM-4 PM, Harold Washington Library Center, 400 S. State, 312-747-4300, chipublib.org. Class enrollment begins 15 minutes before scheduled start time. F
The Maker Lab offers a wide range of technology, including a 3-D printer,
electronic and laser cutters, and a CNC router, a computer-controlled
machine that can carve wood and plastic. Users can explore the space and
equipment through two-hour classes led by Maker Lab librarians. Classes are
free and typically revolve around the high-tech materials the space offers.
But there are also some classes that teach skills such as cupcake
decorating, flower arranging, and calligraphy.
But some of the most memorable maker projects have had much lower stakes.
“This woman came in between workshops to make curtains,” Neri says. “She
was talking about how she moved into a place that had a bunch of windows,
but she went to the store and the curtains were expensive. So she knew we
had a sewing machine and came in and sewed curtains. An everyday hero.”
Mon-Thu 1-8 PM, Fri-Sat 10 AM-4 PM, Harold Washington Library Center, 400 S. State, 312-747-4300, chipublib.org. Class enrollment begins 15 minutes before scheduled start time. F
