Over the past fifty years, the manner in which we process information has changed. New technological developments have changed the way we interact with information, allowing us to become "creators" rather than just "consumers." There are few places that currently provide community access to new, innovative creation technology like 3D printers.  These spaces, known as Fabrication Labs (fab labs), Hackerspaces, and Tech Shops, share common goals: collaboration and 'making.' They exist to give their specific communities the ability to 'make' through sharing knowledge and skills. They provide the technology necessary to make almost anything.

However, these spaces often provide services to a specific or targeted group and are not easily accessible to 'outsiders'  - traditional Fab Labs are tied to MIT and are generally found in underserved communities, Hackerspaces have membership fees, and Tech-Shops, on average, cost around $1.5 million to start.

Imagine - what if the Fayetteville Free Library had similar tools as MIT at its fingertips (at an affordable cost), with the knowledge necessary to use them?

Fayetteville Free Library Executive Director, Sue Considine, says, "There has been much discussion lately about 'transforming' government, libraries, businesses, etc…but I believe we’ve missed the mark.  I believe it is our responsibility to provide the pathways and vehicles; the 'access' to transformational experiences.  When we do that, communities and individuals transform themselves by coming together, thinking, developing, creating and making."

The mission of the Fayetteville Free Library is to provide free and open access to ideas and information.  Considine continues, "As a result of this clear and simple mission, our philosophy is that libraries exist to provide access to opportunities for people to come together to learn, discuss, discover, test, create.  Transformation happens when people have free access to powerful information, and new and advanced technology."

"By providing access and opportunity to experiences, libraries provide a pathway for people and communities to transform their lives themselves," Considine states.

There is no place in the state of New York that provides free and open access to 3D printing technology, which has the power to revolutionize society. The public library will provide a safe and accessible space where anyone in the community can interact, understand and develop through use of this technology.

The Fayetteville Free Library has the unique opportunity to be the first library in the United States to build a free, public access Fab Lab. Lauren Britton is the Transliteracy Development Directory at Fayetteville Free Library.  Britton states, "I first learned about 3D printing in a class called Innovation in Public Libraries at Syracuse University where I was working on my Masters in Library and Information Science."  Britton wrote a graduate school project paper/proposal for creating a maker space within a public library. FFL Executive Director Sue Considine liked it and hired Britton to make it happen.

Britton continues, "Building a makerspace (what we’re calling a Fabulous Laboratory) at the FFL will provide our community with the opportunity to have free access to this world-changing technology."

A Fab Lab is, in essence, an evolution of a computer lab.  A Fab Lab does not detract from more traditional collections; rather it enhances them.  It is both possible and necessary that the Fab Lab and traditional collections coexist.  Fab Labs encourage local innovation, collaboration and education.  It provides a space and context to offer intermediate and advanced software and hardware training for the community.

"Funding to support the developing program is strong and substantial in local in-kind support.  We are pursuing state and federal funding including an IMLS grant for $100,000.  Also, we recently won an award of $10,000 at the Contact Summit in NYC, and are in the middle of a growing, crowd-sourced, online campaign.  We are currently exploring capital funding from multiple arenas one being a final approval for a  NYS DLD Library Construction Grant for $251,000," Considine states.

Stay tuned for exciting new developments, tips, and 'making' tricks from the FFL team.