According to the Mcintyre Library website, “a makerspace is a place where people come together to create. We provide tools, expertise, community and resources to help you explore your imagination”.
This space can be found in room 109 of the Mcintyre Library and contains tools for creating such as 3D printers, a laser engraver, button makers, sewing machines, crayons, yarn, paint and more.
The space is open from 10 a.m.-6 p.m. on Mondays through Fridays and 12-4 p.m. on Sundays. Outside of those hours, they also offer events in the Blugold Makerspace such as step-by-step painting, shrinky dinks, electronics for makers and bead stitch basics.
Mike Jones, a third-year illustration student, hosts step-by-step painting for the Makerspace. To prepare for the class, he holds test workshops in the Makerspace.
“Basically, we have a few staff come down and I try to guide them through,” Jones said.
Jones said that being a part of the Makerspace has helped him make connections, which in turn has helped him in working toward his major.
User services and outreach associate Jenna Vande Zande said they have four students and six faculty members at the Makerspace and are trying out some new events this year.
Along with expanding its offerings, the Makerspace will soon be expanding its location, according to Vande Zande.
The children’s books previously located on the first floor have all been moved to the second floor and the bookshelves have been removed. There is currently a tarp covering the open space, which Vande Zande said she is excited to utilize.
“We’re hoping to have enough capacity to host classes and student orgs for 30 to 40 people,” Vande Zande said.
A faculty-led class this semester is “Electronics for Makers,” hosted weekly by library systems and Makerspace coordinator Dan Hillis. He said he’s heard feedback from others hoping they could add more to the expanded Makerspace, such as stained glass or sticker making.
“My idea of an ideal Makerspace is if someone is looking for a thing, hopefully we have it,” Hillis said.
Hillis said that besides hosting events for individual students, they also partner with professors to hold events for their classes.
On Thursday, Feb. 13, the language department hosted the event, “Language blooms: A celebration through arts and crafts,” with the opportunity for students to make buttons, coasters and paper flowers along with eating pizza and cookies.
One of the event coordinators was Associate Chinese Professor and TEFL advisor Kaishan Kong, who said each craft incorporated languages offered at UW-Eau Claire.
During the event, Kong encouraged attendees to participate in crafts and share why they loved learning a language in front of the group.
“If you’re willing to share one or two sentences, you get an extra piece of pizza,” Kong said.
The Makerspace also received a $4,000 grant last semester from the Student Office of Sustainability (SOS), which Vande Zande said they will continue to utilize to host the second Repair Fair event.
Vande Zande said they have worked with SOS in the past as a part of Earth Claire and that within the library, they have recycling bins for materials like electronics and plastic bags.
“If anybody is thinking about joining them, definitely do. They’re a fun meeting to go to on Wednesdays and such a great group of folks,” Zande said.
The Repair Fair will take place on April 26 in Davies Student Center.
Curtin can be reached at curtinem5864@uwec.edu.
